[Mischief]

Good evening

I am having my first battle with the dreaded red mite !!!!! My f.i.l suggested that we could clean the coop out, spray with poultry shield and then he would silicone all the crevices and cracks with silicone. I said that I would be concerned that the girls would peck this but he said that he could ensure that this was flush with the boards.....

Has anyone tried this or would have any advice. I said that I would prefer to ask the peeps on here before we do anything........

[Roughlee Handled]

I used painters chalk and it drys hard. No pecking.

[henrietta5]

Hi - I used silicone and the hens haven't pecked at it although when I scub out the coop some bits of sealant are starting to come away.  No red mite tho .........yet !

[dizzylizzie]

hi, i used kitchen and bathroom (mould resistant/waterproof) sealent to seal the corners/cracks and crevices. i dont think our girls are pecking at it, but as far as red mite goes, we have only had our grls for just over a month, so i cant say...fingers and toes crossed tho eh?

[GrannieAnnie]

Munty told me ages ago to use vaseline in the cracks and crevasses, which Is what I did on my big henhouse.  I buy the cheap petroleum jelly though big pot for £1 at the cheap shops.

Brian won't let me use silicone just in case the chooks eat it, but the petroleum jelly doesn't hurt them and it smothers any mites who might be in the crack at the time.

Mind you most of the cracks were originally creosoted anyway

[Flowerpower136]

We used external wood filler, which sort of expanded as it filled, and then with a finger you just smooth it down, so completely smooth finish, and every gap filled.  Dries really hard, so if you do end up with a ridge you can sand it down.  No way they can peck it - would need a power tool.

[Mischief]

Thanks for all your advice !!!!

Going to try the next time I clean the girls out....bless them this weekend they've been de-loused and wormed and had a thorough check over.....don't think our cockerel will be coming anywhere near me for a while !!!!

[newatthis]

hello, i was told to use creosote?, i wounder if you have to do it evey yr or 6 months or it a 1 of thing???, was told it was better than using powder to kill them off

[poultrygeist]

I'm afraid it's now against the law to use traditional creosote on any new application.

The replacement stuff doesn't contain the necessary chemicals to do the job properly. But then again, it shouldn't harm you either.

I would try Grannieannie's advice with the vaseline.

ROb

[RichardH]

If you were to get hold of some "proper" creosote, then you'd have to have the chickens out of the coop for about 3-4 weeks as it takes AGES for the fumes to dissipate - so it would really only be practical if you had a spare coop they could use in the meantime.

[kazzer]

As well as vaseline I dust all the nook and crannies with baby talc, and a light dusting on the floor. It seems to have worked. (and smells nice)

[tam]

How about fish tank sillicone? That's non toxic so it doesn't leach chemicals into the water.

[SMD66]

If you are worried about the hens pecking it, then why not get the brown stuff.  It will blend into the shed and I doubt they would bother with it.

[Roughlee Handled]

Painters Chalk dries hard so even if they do peck it they will not get any.

[scrappydoo]

Got my first chucks back in June , placed them in my new purpose built coop , and within a couple of hours they were pecking at the silicone sealant , then I noticed one with a large 'worm' of sealent which before I could get there she had devoured . Although I panicked at the time I did have a chuckle thinking about the next egg coming out like a 'bouncing bomb' ! So my answer would be don't use it.

Best Regards

Steve