[Chappers]

Ive just got a new bigger hen house for the arrival of my ex batts at the end of the month. Its tongue and groove construction, and i was wondering if it is worth going over all the joints and gaps in it with some clear silicone sealant as i understand that the red mite hides in all the little gaps at night. Anyone done this with any success or would i be wasting time and money.

cheers Chappers

[chicken soup]

My coop is made of ply but I did silicone all the joints and so far touch wood haven't seen any red mite yet and we have had the coop two years now.

[PJM]

Hi Chappers, I built my own coop from plywood, and used silicone to seal all the joint's and cracks, I also varnished all the internal walls as well, it has made it very easy to clean out, which I do weekly, and I just have to wipe down the walls with a dampcloth and disinfectant solution. I also use a red mite barrier powder. Touch wood since September 2007, no red mite.

[muntjac]

absolutly not matey .the hens will find a way to pull the stuff off( t shirt ) and it doesnt sit well in the tummys ,looks blooduy hilarios with them pullong both ends together tho      

[GrannieAnnie]

The new extension to our big henhouse is ply, and I put the cheap vaseline stuff down the cracks and joints like Munty told me to!!!!

[muntjac]

The new extension to our big henhouse is ply, and I put the cheap vaseline stuff down the cracks and joints like Munty told me to!!!!

ur a good girl

[Chappers]

absolutly not matey .the hens will find a way to pull the stuff off( t shirt ) and it doesnt sit well in the tummys ,looks blooduy hilarios with them pullong both ends together tho      

Im gonna try the stuff that dries clear so hopefully they wont see it to peck at, the vaseline is also a good idea, ive already started to cover the ends of the perches with it to deter them at night.

cheers

[ck2day]

Hi Chappers,  
I read somewhere that you can put a tape like masking tape, around the perches at the end. Put it on inside out (so to speak) and the little b******s get stuck to it and cant move!

Claire

[Foxy]

This is a good time of year to invest in some preventative measures for red mite - very soon the weather will warm up and what can start as a few undetected red mite can soon turn into a major infestation! Redmite love nice new clean wood as well. I always have available Diatom and something like "Poultry Shield" which kill off any redmite. In the next couple of weeks I'll be doing my "spring cleaning" of the henhouses and drenching them in a good mite killer so that I know that at the beginning of the spring everything is sorted and mite free so important with broody hens incubating and very young chicks.

[Aunt Sally]

This is one thing that the Eglu has over a wooden hen house.  Very, very rare to get red mite. There's no where for them to hide and it is so easy to keep clean    

[Foxy]

This is one thing that the Eglu has over a wooden hen house.  Very, very rare to get red mite. There's no where for them to hide and it is so easy to keep clean    

I wouldn't like to like in a plastic house either!!!  

[Aunt Sally]

:roll: My chooks love it  :!:  No itchy scratchies  

I'd hate to live in a wooden shed  :evil:

Have you ever thought that most of the clothing you wear might be plastic  :shock:

[Belinda]

I really want an eglu but my OH says they are too expensive I think they look great

[Aunt Sally]

I really want an eglu but my OH says they are too expensive I think they look great

When you work out how long they last. Mine is 3 years old and looks like new, it will probably last 20-30 years, perhaps longer.  And I spend NOTHING on cleaning and anti bug products (little bit of diatom just in case).  I just use plain water with a dash of washing up liquid takes 20 mins to clean once a month.  No annual maintenance; Integral foxproof run. You don't have to buy feeders or drinkers and the resale price of even my 3 year old one would be about 2/3 the original price.  

You win all ways round     Funky too  

[Belinda]

Sounds great I think I'll have to try and change his mind.