[Gloria]

As I am sitting reading tonight's postings my hand kept feeling itchy. When I looked closely there were little critters the size of pinheads on my arm. They were running onto me off my sleeve. I picked up one of the hens just before so I guess that's where they've come from. Any ideas what they are and what to do about them on the hens please? They run, rather than jump like lice, and water seems to finish them off. Ugh my skin creeps just talking about them.  Any suggestions gratefully received :cry:  :cry:

[Aunt Sally]

Sounds like red mites to me.  Probably picked up from your hen house rather than from the hen.

Red mites move quickly and will go onto and bite humans.  Lice move slowly and will stay on the hen.

Clean housing, especially in all cracks and crevices, and hens and treat with red mite powder.

And stop scratching  

[muntjac]

if they arred then they are red mites but there are white ones as well . wash the house out with jeyes get in all the corners . and get the chucks some  mite spray and a good dust bath with fine soft sand from builders supplies or focus

[Gloria]

thanks yes that gives me a job for tomorrow then... :? I've just read your sticky on parasites so that's helpful too. Right I'd better get in the bath so I can concentrate on stopping scratching which will be a challenge...yuk :roll:

[Gloria]

I've checked hen house this morning and yes it is red mites, the evidence is there right on the cracks on the door, like red smears, I don't know how I could have missed it.  :roll: And I thought I was providing first class accommodation :oops: It looks fairly nasty so I'm off to get the products, sand , jeyes etc and I'll be having a skin crawling time this afternoon. Do you think I'll need to get a prescription from vet or does tackling the house usually do the trick if you're vigilant? Thanks for the benefit of your experience guys. :?

[muntjac]

u need some mite powder/spray from the feed suppliers

[Aunt Sally]

This is what you need:

http://barrier-biotech.com/product.php?pid=1000

you should be using it all the time :!:

[Gloria]

Aye aye cap'n that I should...and I will be from now on, yes indeedy :!:
Thanx for the help guys, much appreciated, and the girls are enjoying their sandpit as well...

[mercury]

My red mites live in that stuff aunt sally, must be imune to it, even duramitex dosn't seem as affective as it used to be either  

[Aunt Sally]

Resistance can be a problem.

I've only ever used diatom, which as it's a physical agent rather than a chemical one resistance cannot be built up.

[Gloria]

Actually, the stuff I got today from the feed merchants was called Gold Label louse powder for treating all lice and mites. And the stuff to spray on the house was called Decimite by Sorex. This was all they had and as I'm going away at the weekend, it was that or nothing for the moment. Has anyone had success with these products :?:

[Aunt Sally]

They should be fine :!:

[muntjac]

yups x

[klou]

Thanks Aunt Sally. I followed the link given earlier for Barrier and found a local supplier. Just back and ready to dust - well, perhaps this evening when I will add some to their sand bath which is recommended and then dust the house completely this weekend after the scrub.  Thank you all - what a great read, I have found out more from this forum than any of the books. Will raise a glass when the girls become ladies and start laying. Will let you know  

[Aunt Sally]

And don't forget that we are soooo nosey we need you to post some pictures of your chooks