A few questions......

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Hi,
I haven't kept chickens before,often thought about it and now decided the time is right to get some.I've contacted the BHWT,and,will be collecting four hens from them on sunday 6th sept.
There are two questions I'd like to ask other more experienced people,the first is when I was researching about keeping chickens.I read a recomendation that if you paint the interior of the hen house with gloss paint,(obv let it dry out before introducing birds)it will prevent red mites being able to hide in the wood the house is made of.Has anyone on here ever done this? If so,is it a good idea?
The other question is,I've got my boxes ready to collect my hens,should I put a layer of shavings inside it?
Whenever I transport any of my rabbits,they always have newspaper and hay in their transportation box.The chickens will be in their boxes for an hour and a half in my car travelling to their new home.


Lydia
 
Red mite don't live *in* the wood itself but in the crevices and tiny gaps. I'd say paiting the inside in gloss is a bit pointless tbh. I personally go for plain wood so I can treat it as and when. Means I can weather proof it and also creosote it with proper creosote if I get a red mite outbreak. Gloss paint isn't going to allow for much to get through it I'd not think.

And as for shavings, I'd probably put a thin layer but not go overboard.

Good luck :)
 
Hi Snifter,
thanks for that,my bfd actually built(well 'put')the hen house together for me today and I didn't paint the inside.The hen houses I have ever seen have never had gloss paint in the interior,and,if it was worth doing a lot more people would do it ;) .At least that's my reasoning :) .I'll put a thin layer of shavings in their boxes,then,if they shit themselves at my driving, :o , at least they wont have to stand in it.
Thank-you very much for replying to me,I do appreciate it.
 
I've just re-done an article on Red Mite and added as many 'control' methods as I could find - I haven't come across paint when looking for information about what other people do.

It makes sense that a small crack could be sealed - but then there's a question of paint flaking and the birds eating it and if a crack isn't totally sealed, they will just get behind the paint and be harder to wash out.

I think you've made the right choice!

Tim
 
Hi Tim,I'll go and read the article in a min,thanks for that.I think I've decided on using a poweder that is safe to use on the birds and their house.They may not have them,but being ex-bats I'm expecting them to have them,because of being kept in cramped conditions close together.Mites love those sort of conditions, if the ex-bats are stressed I can imagine a few mites becoming millions of mites very quickly :( .Which would be very unfair to the poor chickens.......watch out mites lol-I'll be ready :twisted: and I don't take prisoners.

I hadn't even thought about the paint flaking :oops: .......(not that I'm blonde lol)I just imagined a hot day and it being clammy because the moisture wouldn't be able to escape.The gang will be relieved,my painting is crap and they'd have had to sit there looking at it...... ;) .
 
OK well hopefully they won't carry mites - you can occasionally find the odd one on a bird but they are normally in the cracks of the house - they hop onto the birds at night for a couple of hours, then hop off and go back to the cracks to lay eggs.

Good Luck and let us know how you get on

Tim
 
Well if they haven't brought any with them that will be great.I will keep you all posted on how they get on, hopefully theyt will enjoy their retirement with me,I'm sure I'm going to enjoy having them.
 
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