[janeheritage]

I have read with care many, many entries on red mite in chicken houses, how awful they are, what to do if you get them, and how to prevent them.

I have a wooden hen house (budget would not permit an Eglu, plus my OH likes the natural look) so must be at risk. I haven't lined it with tin like Foxy, or painted it with powdered chalk. What I do do is clean it out every day so that there is never any poo or damp newspaper, line it with newspaper and put straw on top. A full clean once a month (due today and fortunately it's a lovely dry day). I use Poultry Shield for cleaning, and then put Diatom in the crevices and around the perch holders.

Will Diatom keep red mite etc at bay if I dust it liberally into all the nooks and crannies? Or is there something else I should be doing? My girls are squeaky clean at present and I hate to think of them getting any nasties 

[poultrygeist]

Diatom should keep them at bay, as should regular cleaning with poultry shield. Compared to you, I am positively dirty  , but we haven't seen them yet. I do dread it so I check every day for signs and try to keep everything as clean as poss.

I think it's the one thing that pays to be paranoid about.

Rob

[Foxy]

Hi errmmmmm I haven't lined my houses with tin? I have 9 wooden houses ranging from large 4x6 sheds to smaller arcs. Red mite do like new, clean wood though. This is what I do....

Spring -deep clean with Jeyes then spray Milbenex into nooks crannies etc. Liberally dust Mitex (diatom) into nest boxes, ends of perches every 2 weeks or when they are cleaned out. Instead of Milbenex, which has a residual effect, very potent though and is used commercially, you could use Poultry Shield.

To check for redmite, shine a torch at night along the perches and if you have any of them they are easier to spot.

[janeheritage]

Sorry Foxy, I thought it was you that had the Stalag Luft tin-lined house. Must be another moderator!  :blink:

Sounds as though I am doing all right. Lovely spring clean today, bright sunny day with stiff breeze to dry it out. Then I will top up all the little crevices with Diatom.

[meterman]

Got rid of the little Bs after2 weeks best tip i can give is to paint pearch ends with neat jeyes.

[mumsy]

I have been so busy lately that I didn't get around to poultry sheilding the coop, the last couple of clean outs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am now paying the price as I found the blighters yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Couldn't believe how many there were in such a short space of time
So don't do as I did, use all the necessary precautions, ALL THE TIME!!!!!!

I am exhausted from all the cleaning yesterday & worried that they won't go away.  I also keep finding them on me when I'm outside, near where I jet washed the coop.
The house is now sheilded & diatomed & the girls dusted, me? I  feel so guilty   Won't be too busy again, I can tell you.

[desandchez]

The other thing that i have found to kill the dreaded mite and there eggs is a gas weed gun (bought from lidles) you can hear them pop. Just make sure you don't set fire to anything and for dusting the hens put red mite powder in a cloth bag put the hen in with her head poking out and give her a gentle shake and roll

[joyfull]

Like the idea of putting the hens in a cloth bag (suppose an old pillowcase would work  ), just got to catch one of mine to do it (no sign of any infestation but need to do it as a matter of course  )

[Sarah Mitchell]

I creosote my hen houses inside and out at least once a year... it preserves the wood, smells fab (or is that just me?) and you can watch the little blood suckers shrivel up before your (masked) eyes.  Creosote subsitute works just as well. 

[mumsy]

Have jet washed house again & the girls have had to sleep in the shed tonight.  loads more came out of it today, have orderd duramitex now, anyone else used it?

[too many girls]

Have jet washed house again & the girls have had to sleep in the shed tonight.  loads more came out of it today, have orderd duramitex now, anyone else used it?

i thought that was a condom!

[Big Jen]

I am currently using Duramitex. But I have heard its pretty nasty stuff and should be used with care, rubber gloves, mask etc.  Its not made any more so supply is limited.
I understand it does the job and kills everything for up to 3 mths. I bought a proper sprayer and keep it just for this. It smells terrible.
I am trying this out of desparation- used poultryshield and diatom and frontline as routine and still found mites on the birds. Havent seen one since spaying with this.

Jenny

[Yorkie]

Unfortunately, the product licence for Duramitex was revoked so its storage or use beyond 6 Dec 2008 is not legal and we can't be seen to endorse its use - see here for details.

Back to the other remedies mentioned.

[Foxy]

Unfortunately, the product licence for Duramitex was revoked so its storage or use beyond 6 Dec 2008 is not legal and we can't be seen to endorse its use - see here for details.

Back to the other remedies mentioned.

Harkers have now developed a product called "duramitex plus" which works not only on the waxy coating of the mite but also kills the eggs, it does not contain pesticides and is the eggs will be safe for human consumption. I am hoping to test this product so will let you know!

[Yorkie]

That's good news, Foxy