[peggyprice]

Good point ... suppose they'd be OK if they had their passports with them    Or their driving licences  :shock:

[richyrich7]

I was going to say Richy, I hope none of your hens smoke!!!!   :bom:

Only when we have a BBQ    

[blossom1044]

well looks like their going.  The fist application of spray killed the living ones.  We did it again last night.  We're going to scrub and clean at weekend and then spray again.

Then we're going to leave it a few days, so let any eggs hatch and go again.  

I'd love to be organic, but it is chemical warfare here at the moment!  I'd rather do all I can to kill the blighters before they return as I don't want to make my new pullets sick and I don't want them in the greenhouse or rabbit either.  New chickens are being collected on 21st June prob, so got to sort by then!

I read that hay maybe the reason they came in.  I bought the hay from a reputable supplier, but you never know. Apparently the eggs will have lain dormant during the wet weather and hatched in the recent dry and warm conditions which was whilst we were on holiday and hence came back to the horrid wotsits.

Thank you for your answers and support as it has been invaluable.

[peggyprice]

Just one quick point Blossom - don't use hay in your hen house, it can give them respiratory problems - stick to straw  

[Foxy]

well looks like their going.  The fist application of spray killed the living ones.  We did it again last night.  We're going to scrub and clean at weekend and then spray again.

Then we're going to leave it a few days, so let any eggs hatch and go again.  

I'd love to be organic, but it is chemical warfare here at the moment!  I'd rather do all I can to kill the blighters before they return as I don't want to make my new pullets sick and I don't want them in the greenhouse or rabbit either.  New chickens are being collected on 21st June prob, so got to sort by then!

I read that hay maybe the reason they came in.  I bought the hay from a reputable supplier, but you never know. Apparently the eggs will have lain dormant during the wet weather and hatched in the recent dry and warm conditions which was whilst we were on holiday and hence came back to the horrid wotsits.

Thank you for your answers and support as it has been invaluable.

they cane come from wild birds and they love nice new clean wood!
Once they are gone you can use use diatom as a very effective deterrant with a big plus totallly organic!!!

[GrannieAnnie]

I was going to say Richy, I hope none of your hens smoke!!!!   :bom:

Only when we have a BBQ    

       

[GrannieAnnie]

Also I've heard that red mite can come in on wild birds, and sit on trees until they get onto a poultry house or passing chook.  Do you have any trees near your henhouse?

[Fannyann]

we moved the hen house and run to a new area of the garden so the chooks would be in the shade of the neighbours 20ft norway spruce tree....one week later we had red mite. coincidence?

would it be best to move the hen house again?

[blossom1044]

It was under an old oak and next to a hedge fence.  We back onto a woodland and have lots of pigeons around here.  That is before the 22 gets them!  They were becoming more of a pest than rats!  The chooks which had been in it had been allowed to freerange on the grass, but we've moved the coup & run nearer our house which is now next to the garage on the patio.  Nice new clean and safe area.

So it is possible that the infestation has occured post chooks for that reason.  At least I am treating it now.

Partly my fault as choocks were "taken" about 2 months ago and I cleaned the coup fully there and then, but I've not really touched since we decided to move it post holiday because we are getting ready for our new darlings.  I should have checked it more regularly.  When the chooks are in the coupe/run I clean and use the powder as I ought to weekly and a good thorough once over each month, but not done it since chooks "left" us.

I meant straw.  to me Hay and straw are same things, but DH said I am wrong.  appologises for the mistatement.