Roofing felt on a coop and red mite.

[chrismahon]

We use roofing felt over closed boarding or plywood for the coops. I've been concerned that even after painting the gap between the roof boarding and the felt could be colonised with red mite. I took apart our first mobile coop yesterday and today. We had thousands of the things between the wall boarding and the wall structural timbers, so much so that I peeled off the cladding and burned it all immediately. The remaining structure was jet washed and will be creosoted when dry.

But under the roofing felt there was no sign of mite at all, anywhere. That roof is open boarding; there is no tongue and groove. Also the boards have many holes in where the knots have fallen out. I'm not sure if it is because the roof is high ( 3 feet above perch) or if it is a fallacy that roofing with timber and felt harbours red mite any more than any other roofing. I have heard of it once, but that may be with a very low roof. We have had it under the edges of a very low roof; when I say low the cockerels bang their heads when they crow! Has anyone else experienced red mite under a felt roof?

 

[dinosaw]

Hi Chris, there was a small survey on another forum a couple of years ago, and while the sample size was very small (8 people) the results were

Felt roof- mite problem 25%
Felt roof- no problem 38%
No Felt roof- mite problem 25%
No felt roof- no problem 13%

I think it very much depends on individual circumstances, if you have pre treated your wooden roof before felting it then that could make all the difference. When looking at the above results you could say that the people without a mite problem simply may not have had any mite at all regardless of roof type. I have a plastic coop and have had mite, most people with plastic coops haven't but is that because they have plastic coops or because mite isn't active in their gardens/runs?. it could be that the area between the walls and structural timbers was simply more attractive to them and they would eventually have made their way to the roof felt. I think the percieved problem with roof felt is that it could potentialy harbour millions of the things if they did decide to make their home there.

 

[foxy]

We have a combination of felt, and wooden roofs. We replaced some of the roofs felts on a a few sheds this autumn. None of them had redmite, we are very vigilant however, (through experience!) and despite all our housing being wooden, haven't had an outbreak this year.

 

[Chuck]

I think felt rooves are more inclined to get infested in warm weather. Winter weather would not encourage them. I've renewed and found nothing and renewed and found heavy infestations. What is surprising is how far they will travel. I watched a column travel four feet up to their hidy holes above the perches. Red going up and grey coming down a plywood stable partition. All noticed at night with a torch.
Blow torch and creosote did the trick but they were back after six months. Bit like painting the Forth Bridge !

 

[chrismahon]

Wish it was like painting the Forth Bridge Chuck. The new paint they have means it only needs doing every 20 years now. But I know what you are saying. We were stripping and spraying the coops every 4 weeks last year. Cost £90 in chemicals plus another £45 we haven't used yet. Which is why all of them that can be dismantled are being treated this Winter with Creosote/ Paraffin mix. I was amazed how many were there as well; if I hadn't done that we'd be in trouble next year. The sprays just can't penetrate the joints they need to obviously.

 

[foxy]

I think felt rooves are more inclined to get infested in warm weather. Winter weather would not encourage them. I've renewed and found nothing and renewed and found heavy infestations. What is surprising is how far they will travel. I watched a column travel four feet up to their hidy holes above the perches. Red going up and grey coming down a plywood stable partition. All noticed at night with a torch.
Blow torch and creosote did the trick but they were back after six months. Bit like painting the Forth Bridge !

I am interested Chuck, how long were you watching them march 4 feet?

 

[Chuck]

A long time Foxy - it's a retirement thing ! Will have to stop using that one about the Forth Bridge now then Chris. I did see it on tele but it takes a while to sink in.