[3Bluebelles]

Hi Everyone,

We extended our chicken coop a few months ago to make it suitable for more chickens. I was never happy with it, as it was quite difficult to clean properly, and we have been considering getting a new one.

In the last week or so our chickens have started losing feathers, and all but 2 of them have also stopped laying. I had put this down to moulting, but this morning we took the perches and tray out to give the coop a really good clean and have discovered the dreaded red mite.

This has made the decision and we have gone out and purchased a new coop for them. However I am concerned that if we just put it in the same place, the red mite will reinfect it. It does have to go in the same place, as it's in a fixed run, but what should we do to avoid getting red mite in it from the start. We have a good supply of Diatom and Poultry Shield, and something called Protector P Mite Killer.

Will the red mite be on the ground, and on the birds? And how do I stop them getting into the new house?

We are going to burn the old one, and get rid of any loose bark or bedding under it, but it is on soil, so we can't just disinfect the whole area.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks,
Jacky and Pip.

[Kenilworth]

They will almost certainly be in the surrounding ground, though not on the chickens.

If the new coop is wooden then i am afraid they will  most likely be back.  All you can really do is follow the ample advice on here. Hillfooters slurry, and a good cleaning routine etc, etc.

You will never fully eradicate red mite because you cant eradicate the original source ie the surrounding environment.

[henamoured]

Use the diatom slurry all over the inside of the house and at the end of the perches and in nest box. But I also pour a trail of neat powder at all the entrances and edges of the coop so that there is no way in for mites without having to crawl over some diatom powder.

Haven't had the dreaded rm yet (but feel like I'm tempting fate just writing that )