just won a battle against red mite

[steve]

Massive infestation of red mite - in hen house, on hens everywhere. But we got rid of them. Here's how.
Sealed the henhouse with plastic sheeting and ignited a sulpher smoker inside (for killing pests in greenhouse - from your garden centre. This takes 24 hours. Inside - millions of dead mites.
Plus - a daily spray around the joints of hen house with aerosol flea killer from vet - the sort you spray your furniture with if your cat's got fleas.
Then - once a week, dust the coop with mite powder.

4 weeks later - not a single mite to be found anywhere. The one hen that became very ill with mite infestation has fully recovered.

 

[elmwood]

Hi Steve,

WELL DONE YOU!!! I am very impressed.

I am dreading finding red mite, despite my over-zealous appraoch to Diatom and inspections. Everytime I go in the house and disturb the shavings clouds of Diatom rise.

Anyway would you mind telling us (me), just how you came to find them, seeing as they are so hard to spot etc. Also were they in clusters on the perch ends etc...... Any info would help and be very much apprecaited by us all.

Glad you hen is on the mend......

 

[elmwood]

Just had a scout around on-line for these knowckdown smokers.

Found Blitz kits for poultry mite fix on Ebay, and Flytes so fancy-

http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Red_Mite_Products.html

Might be worth considering??

 

[Davidd]

Hi, good on you you may have won the battle but the war will go on !
You need to keep watching for the little devils- especially in this hot weather- it's a never ending saga
I haven't tried any "fumigation" - but with poultry shield, powder, steam cleaner and creosote (substitute)
mine are at the moment, mite free hopefully!!!!
regards, David

 

[steve]

How did we spot them in the first place?
Well, sadly a chicken got sick, Comb and wattle went a pale yellow. She sat about looking like she was going to die. Cleaned out the coop and the mites were all over my arms and in the car when i took the old straw to the tip. Millions of them. Breeding like mad in the hot weather. I'd put straw in the dustbin and the dustbin was soon covered in them. The furniture flea spray killed them all instantly tho.

Just have to be vigilant from now on....The sick hen made a full recovery....