[oddpaws]

Some chicken keeping friends of mine told me that to help prevent and get rid of red mite they empty their ash bucket from the fire (cool of course) out into the chicken run and when the birds bathe in it it helps to kill the red mite.

We have tried this ourselves very recently as we had our 1st red mite outbreak (luckily only a small one) and well...I think it seems to have helped.

Perhaps the little blighters just dont like the taste of ash

Anyone know of any truth in this?

[littlewitch]

wonder if ash from a bbq would work as well (unfortunately like most people no house fire - really miss toasting bread, marshmallows etc in winter on open fire - boo hoo!)

[oddpaws]

We have no heating and havent had since we moved in 2 years ago so plenty of ash from our fires. Blasted chilly for us tho'

[tode]

When we let the birds out they all dash down to the bonfire place and bathe in the ashes. They prefer that to the earth.
Only works if it hasn't been raining, of course.

[SMD66]

ours choose to dust bathe in ash from the occasional bonfire.  We still got red mite though.  

[too many girls]

red mite live in the houses not on the birds themselves, so i wouldn't have thought it would prevent them.

[Elcie]

Oh that is interesting.  Can clean out the chimenea with a purpose now!

[kitkat]

Think it also depends on what you have been burning? Think coal is bad as are some types of wood? Not sure exactly though.

[hillfooter]

Birds use a dust bath to rid themselves of parasites such as lice and fleas.  Red mite as TMG says don't spend time on the bird during the day so dust bathing will only have a minimal effect on red mite.  I'm not sure how the dust bathing works but it could be by the dehydrating effect of dust making them less attractive hosts.  Using ash or diatonaceous earth (Diatom) in their dust bath should be effective against parasites which live on the bird.

Regards

[Elcie]

I put Diatom in their nesting box so that when they bend down to lay they get some on them.  You have to remember to dust it off the eggs though!

[Swing Swang]

Ash is usually alkaline - I don't know if this is important in this respect.

SS

[Sue33]

that reminds me, must get a chimney sweep in    we do have an open fire and usually put the ash in the dustbin, might save some this year and see if the girls like it to dustbathe in   

[tode]

If its a wood fire, its a shame to waste the ash. Full of potash. Very good for fruit.

[Sue33]

If its a wood fire, its a shame to waste the ash. Full of potash. Very good for fruit.

unfortunately it's not a wood burning stove, we use the traditional; paper, kindling, coal and then logs on the top, we do have a firepit in the garden, I usually put that ash in the compost 

[8doubles]

Back in the bad old days (when people were to poor to buy soap) they would get lye from hardwood ash to make lye soap with . Lye is another name for caustic soda and i would think that in the small amounts you find in a dusting of ash it is probably a good insect remover.