Red mite

[Mooner]

Are other people having a problem like we are with red mite in the chicken house? We clean the house out regularly, replace the dust free sawdust, and the proper straw for the nest box, and we also use a red mite spray. however, they seem to keep coming back, and they are also affecting the numbers of eggs being layed. I know they feed off the blood of the hens at night, so this affects laying, but having sprayed all the perch ends, the rest of the house, and keeping it clean, we are wondering if there's anything else we can do. We've also used a suitable powder on the hens, but it doesn't seem to have any effect. Any ideas? anyone else get these? the duck house doesn't seem to have a problem - at least not yet! Many thanks. Pat.

 

[Deleted Account]

we do the same as you - except we use hemcore bedding - and we spray the hens with frontline, they have also had a course of ivermectin. Last weekend I discovered FLEAS in the coop - you'd think with all that they would be dead. I have been told by a much more experienced keeper that the flease wont actually be biting the chooks, but I still dont like the idea, so I have ordered some serious insecticidal spray for the house and surrounding area. It is quite depressing really - you do your best, clean them out completely twice a week, and still the parasites attck!

 

[Tim]

The trouble with Red Mite is they always find a crack to live in somewhere.

I've used Jeyes Fluid or Poultyshield on the house, used the high pressure hose around all the cracks and even a blow torch (it's very satisfying hearing the red mite sizzle :twisted: ) then dusted the bedding down with red mite powder and still they have come back. It takes several weeks and alot of cleaning to get rid of them - so now if I get them, I keep an eye on the numbers and keep on top of them, spraying them with a strong solution of poultry shield on the ends of the perch every night and clean regularly / dust with powdeer. As long as the numbers are low, they won't do too much damage and once the weather gets colder, they won't be breeding so you will find it easier.

If you get them under the felt of a house, it's practically impossible to get rid of them unless you refelt the roof...

The good thing about Frontline / Ivermectin is they will kill anything that bites the chooks so the red mite that are still active won't get very far.

In days gone by, creosote would kill red mite so they weren't such a problem however the new 'creosote substitute' that you can buy now won't as it doesn't have the chemicals the old stuff had. You can still get the old type of creosote at some farming outlets though.

Tim

 

[snifter]

OK don't take this as gospel or anything but someone did tell me that they had a number of hen houses and an outbreak of red mite. They found it in all their houses but one. The one that was red mite free had another insect living in it however. Earwigs. This person said that the earwigs appeared to eat the mites.

Anyways, I've encouraged earwigs in my hen housing and not had any red mite outbreaks since doing so. And that was 3 summers ago now. I had had red mite earlier in the summer, got it under control and then encouraged the earwigs to invade. They do eat other insects fwiw. The hens don't eat them as the earwigs hide in the day and come out at night. They are visible in the hen house in the daytime but run for cover as soon as the side panel is taken off. Hens really don't try to eat them in there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earwig

It is documented online that earwigs are predators of red mites and other orchard pests. A number of forums and articles can be found on it all. I tend to think they do munch the blighters so leave the earwigs alone. I just make sure when I clean the hen house out to not remove too many earwigs. I let them have time to hide from me. If I scrub the hen houses out I make sure to save a large handful of earwigs in a jar and put them back once its clean and dry :lol:

Also I have used Vaseline on the ends of the perches all round, where they are fitted into the side of the hen house.

I did use all the things Tim listed, plus the powders and sprays. If I got a bad infestation again I'd probably use them again. But since having a whole heap of earwigs rooming with the chooks I've not seen a single mite and I do check frequently.

 

[Tim]

That sounds fantastic - I will try it. I know where every earwig I find in the garden is going now!

They better stay hidden in the daytime though because my rabble won't miss a crawly thing :lol:

Tim