[crazy coop]

Looking for advice on sprays for coop and run.Have heard that you can use aloe vera and garlic as a natural mite repellent and cleaner but don`t know quantities to mix.Don`t really want any strong chemical stuff any one got any ideas.I also think that a lot of the sprays that I have looked at are really expensive Stick a picture of an animal on the packet and charge an extra £10.

[animartco]

Oh nobody's answerd yet! Most things are chemicals, but there are basic les harmful ones. I always used to use a potassium permanganate spray, which will kill mites, but unless you have a real problem with mites jeyes fluid (Mixed with water as instructed) is the standard cleaner and it doesn't cost much at all. Just make sure that everything has dried out thoroughly before you put the hens back in and of course dont let anything you use ever get into the drinking water.

[joyfull]

I use Vanodine V18 for cleaning which is an iodine based liquid - you can even add it to their drinking water (at the correct strenght of course). In winter you can use stalosan F which is a powder disinfectant.

[ehs284]

Soap and hot water for cleaning. Diatomaceous earth as a repellant. Why do you need a disinfectant in routine cleansing?

[joyfull]

I always clean my feeders and drinkers out with vanodine - mine are out in the open and consequently wild birds and such like can get to them.

[henamoured]

Many of the so called mite powders and sprays are just citronella in a powder/liquid base. May be ok for prevention (although Hillfooter calls the powders expensive talcum for chickens!) In my experience I'd agree - you need something stronger for an actual infestation.

[henamoured]

ps - chopped up garlic in drinking water has been good for one of my chx who had a darkened wattle which cleared up in a couple of weeks. But it might have done anyway....
Never used it in the coop - how would you apply it? Only heard of aloe vera as a healing application which I've used myself for insect bites to good effect.

[Craig69]

I hand pick poo out of the coop each day & turn the woodchip over & add to it as needed.
It gets a full clean out about every other weekend & i spray inside with Poultry Shield.
The run my girls are in is gravel & slabs. The slabs get a scrap off each day & i remove the gravel every other month to rince. The slabs get a hose down about once a week & i scrub them with Jayes Fluid about twice a month.
Just had to put a tarp sheet over the run yesterday because of all the rain we had as they were getting soaked

[joyfull]

Soap and hot water for cleaning. Diatomaceous earth as a repellant. Why do you need a disinfectant in routine cleansing?

In winter soap and water cleaning may not result in a dry coop when it comes to bed time so using stalosan f disinfects the coop and keeps it dry. The rest of the year I prefer to use a disinfectant called Vanodine V18 rather than soap and water (it is made for cleaning and will kill bacteria) but this is just my personal choice. I also periodically poultry shield the inside of the coops and follow this up with diatomous earth as a preventative measure for red mite.

[crazy coop]

Thanx for advice already doing the right thing.They are only in their run at night anyway just to make sure they don`t get eaten!I have`nt touch wood got mites just thought a good  clean should be routine as I wouldn`t fancy sleeping in a dirty bed myself.

[Craig69]

Is this a similar product to Stalosan F?

http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/store/products/bio-dri-10kg

This is what MVF stock which is just up the road from me.

[Sassy]

yes it is the same type of thing. I have never seen it but advertising for it suggests that it will soak up more than Stalosan. I use Stalosan and have found it to be very good for what I use it for - Horses, chooks, ducks and quail.