spraying out the henhouse

[molliedogspabottom]

Good morning all

I am going to tackle the red mite population again today.

there are`nt many now , found 2 on the paper fan this morning and three yesterday morning.

As the weather is not that warm will it be OK to spray the inside, concentrating on the crevices as I dont think the house will dry out before nightime if it has a thorough soak.

I use total mite kill, but have just read about using dettel does this really work and does the house need to be fume free before the girls go to bed ?

I will diatom every where including the girls.

Thanks Heather

 

[foxy]

If you take everything out and spray sparingly, you should be OK, although cold it will be mainly dry and sunny, depending where you are of course! It really is better to try and break the red mite egg cycle so go ahead! After the house is dry as an added measure, you can also mix the diatom into a stiff paint by adding washing up liquid (acts as a "degreaser" on the mite) and a little water. Use an old paint brush and "paint around the house, concentrating on nooks, crannies and perches. This system acts well by keeping the dust levels down. With redmite using a two-pronged approach is usually the more effective solution. It is also a good idea to dispose of the old shavings away from your garden and not "compost" them as redmite will travel. Saying all that, as the days are getting colder the redmite population naturally diminishes.
Regarding Dettol, I cannot comment as have not used,it does sound though like Red mitekill is sorting your problem, it really takes time and tenacity to get rid of them! Have a look here for some recommended redmite products.

http://www.chickenvet.co.uk

 

[Tim]

Total Mite kill is 'cleverly marketed' diatom with a plant oil (perhaps tea tree?) scent to it- this is what the Safety data sheet says:

COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
Ingredient Name CAS No: Contents Symbol Risk (R.N0.)
Diatomaceous earth 61790-53-2 >98% -
Inert mineral with added plant oils


So... should be fine with this. As for dettol - it's not licensed for use like this so there won't be any advice on using it in this way, however if you do use it, I would look at the bottle and see what it says for it's normal use with people and then make a judgement based on this with a sprinkle of common sense.

Diatom absorbs moisture - so you could use this or Total Mite Kill before the girls go to be to absorb any remaining moisture. If the house has good ventillation, they should be ok at night in there.

I'm a big fan of poultry shield, as well as diatomaceous earth but check the ingredients of products because many can be based on diatomaceous earth and cost more for the packet.

Wells poultry has the data sheet for the product available as well as a fair amount of information about the product. We are also an affiliate so if you wanted to use this link before shopping, you'll be helping the poultrykeeper site and forum along too

Well Poultry Red Mite Products Page

 

[molliedogspabottom]

Hi Tim,

thanks for the info. on wells, the diatom is much cheeper to buy from them , in a bigger tub. I will also give
poultry sheild a try, as this is better value in a bigger tub too.

Managed to get the house cleaned out and sprayed with total mite kill that I had in stock,then treated all the corners and crevices ,nest boxes and perches with the diatom powder and just for good measure all the girls and colin got a good sprinkle tonight.

A while ago someone suggested folding a piece of paper like a fan and placing several in the henhouse, this has worked for me,showing that I had not got rid of the little devils.

I do hope that I manage to clear them,I now know why egg production has been bad and the hens have seemed abit on edge.

Ordering from Wells in the morning.

Thanks .Heather

 

[Tim]

Hi Heather,

OK I hope it all made sense - I must admit I've got a little fanatical with the diatom - it's great stuff though and I too buy it in the big tubs and then it lasts quite a while around my houses. I find the small puffer / shaker bottles good though because you can refill them from the big tubs.

I'm in the process of requesting permission from a load of manufacturers of these products to place product details and safety data sheets on the site as a reference. It's yet another big project though that will take until next spring to sort out I think - in the process you pick up lots of information from the safety sheets and can see what ingredients they use!

However you decide to treat them, I hope you get rid of them that's the important thing.

Tim