Red stop
- Thread starter Dorkings
- Start date
Hi Dorkings and welcome to the forum.
What does it say about lice in the manufacturer's information sheet? I've heard it's effective if used regularly against redmite, but I think I would add a dusting of louse powder to the hens as well, to be on the safe side.
What does it say about lice in the manufacturer's information sheet? I've heard it's effective if used regularly against redmite, but I think I would add a dusting of louse powder to the hens as well, to be on the safe side.
Thanks for that, my chickens hate being dusted so I was hoping the redstop would be effective though I haven't seen any info regarding lice and its use. The red mite is a low level problem as I am using disinfectant spray in the housing every other day and that seems to keep them at bay.
rick
Active member
Sorry, Im trawling unread posts but this is close to my heart!
Red mite wont cross diatom or aluminium (prob other metals but ali I know0. If the perch is isolated by one or both then they are goners! Yes, they can paratrooper from the roof. It was shown that they could in one lab study but that is not how they survive - they survive by walking to the chicken every night in droves. Ive had no red mite for 18 months now and have got a little complacent with the perches but they will be back sooner or later if I don't re-do the isolation. Its easy enough.
For lice its a good, constant, dust bath. No need for sprays although a local targeted dusting of a serious problem on the hen can help get a handle on it. Removing egg clusters combined with targeted dusting with diatom and patience (a vet prescribed systemic treatment only if its really out of order). As with all these things it depends how many chickens have the problem - if its a couple or three its observation and not too demanding attention. If its several dozen then your in need of veterinary help! Dust bath - just sandy soil - slightly moistened in very dry conditions - no lice.
Red mite wont cross diatom or aluminium (prob other metals but ali I know0. If the perch is isolated by one or both then they are goners! Yes, they can paratrooper from the roof. It was shown that they could in one lab study but that is not how they survive - they survive by walking to the chicken every night in droves. Ive had no red mite for 18 months now and have got a little complacent with the perches but they will be back sooner or later if I don't re-do the isolation. Its easy enough.
For lice its a good, constant, dust bath. No need for sprays although a local targeted dusting of a serious problem on the hen can help get a handle on it. Removing egg clusters combined with targeted dusting with diatom and patience (a vet prescribed systemic treatment only if its really out of order). As with all these things it depends how many chickens have the problem - if its a couple or three its observation and not too demanding attention. If its several dozen then your in need of veterinary help! Dust bath - just sandy soil - slightly moistened in very dry conditions - no lice.
Thanks for that, really interested in the no crossing metals, would a copper band do the same job on the perches ? I could use the copper slug bands on the perches either end ? Don't have many red mite but none would be better !
The lice on a few girls is being very persistent, think I am missing the hatching of eggs with the powder so hence the red stop question
The lice on a few girls is being very persistent, think I am missing the hatching of eggs with the powder so hence the red stop question
rick
Active member
They certainly don't like metals. They are creatures of wood and bark on tree branches. They don't seem to like plastic either judging by the lack of mite in plastic coops like an egloo. I used aluminium tube to make posts under the perch. They have beer bottle caps at the bottom to contain some diatom but I've noticed that they seem just as effective without the diatom. Another idea is copper or iron wire wrapped around the perch end with a small gap in the windings. Rub some diatom into the wrapping, that should do it. Staple a flap of card to the face of the perch itself to catch the ones that are stranded on there and cant set up base at a safer distance. Wings touching walls are also a ticket to a night-time snack but as long as that happens only infrequently then the colony of mite should be in real trouble.
Lice are a real nuisance! You don't really know if you've beaten them for a few weeks after there seems to been no sign. Try to remove the egg clusters (they should be obvious and probably around the back end on the downy feathers). There is little chance of bleeding with downy feathers so you can snip through the cluster and slide the remaining half off the shaft. Dust with diatom on a small paint brush only in the general area where the clusters have been found (that is their preferred home on the chicken) Every couple of days should be fine but you have to make it routine and keep doing it for a couple of weeks past the point when all seems OK.
I got some systemic insecticide from the vet for my bantam cockerel in the end because his feathers are so small and tightly arranged it was proving hard to find the egg clusters. But, of course, he doesn't lay eggs. I understand the egg withdrawal for a hen might be indefinite.
For the mite - I know classic wooden coops, especially if they are a bit crowded on the perch are the most difficult to deal with. You need to isolate the perch and any other surface the hens touch while roosting.
By the way -how many hens have you got?
Lice are a real nuisance! You don't really know if you've beaten them for a few weeks after there seems to been no sign. Try to remove the egg clusters (they should be obvious and probably around the back end on the downy feathers). There is little chance of bleeding with downy feathers so you can snip through the cluster and slide the remaining half off the shaft. Dust with diatom on a small paint brush only in the general area where the clusters have been found (that is their preferred home on the chicken) Every couple of days should be fine but you have to make it routine and keep doing it for a couple of weeks past the point when all seems OK.
I got some systemic insecticide from the vet for my bantam cockerel in the end because his feathers are so small and tightly arranged it was proving hard to find the egg clusters. But, of course, he doesn't lay eggs. I understand the egg withdrawal for a hen might be indefinite.
For the mite - I know classic wooden coops, especially if they are a bit crowded on the perch are the most difficult to deal with. You need to isolate the perch and any other surface the hens touch while roosting.
By the way -how many hens have you got?
rick said:
and what is your coop made of?
The coops are all wood, I lime wash them twice a year but I don't think I get it into all the cracks. I have two pens of mixed layers, 7 in each, the boys are in their own pens at the moment ( very upset !)
Then I have pekins and growers in a separate area, they are all mite and lice free so it's all my old coops, some are very dilapidated so time to make some new ones I think.
I am on top of the mites, it's the lice that are proving hard hence the red stop question. I move my enclosures every couple of weeks on to new grass so I think the lice problem is of my own making as they don't have time to make proper dust baths, think I will give them some trays but keeping them dry is a problem
Then I have pekins and growers in a separate area, they are all mite and lice free so it's all my old coops, some are very dilapidated so time to make some new ones I think.
I am on top of the mites, it's the lice that are proving hard hence the red stop question. I move my enclosures every couple of weeks on to new grass so I think the lice problem is of my own making as they don't have time to make proper dust baths, think I will give them some trays but keeping them dry is a problem
rick
Active member
I think your right there. You could almost do with a dust bath on wheels. If the soil in there is quite sandy and free draining then it shouldn't be out of service for long after a downpour and its best not bone dry anyway.
