chrismahon
Well-known member
We had a very minor infestation in one coop (couple of thousand max). They appeared second generation as they were all very small so their parents arrived a couple of weeks ago I would say. The coop they were in was creosoted internally 18 months ago, but was still partially effective as the mites were in the undisturbed bedding in the corners, not many in the wood joints. Difficult to see as so few of them.
I say the mite were unlucky because I had just completed a new coop for those birds, all freshly creosoted. The birds moved today, the old coop was hit with Nettex Total Mite Kill. Then the coop was dismantled and all the dead mite were scrubbed off and in a few minutes, when the wood has dried (32 degrees here +15 more in the sun), the coop will be re-treated internally with 50:50 creosote
araffin mix, the panels treated upside-down to get the stuff into the weatherboarding groove joints to kill any eggs. If that doesn't kill everything the coop is staying dismantled and going into storage anyway. So HA-HA red mite!!!
All other coops checked and no problems. As a precaution the three downwind have been stripped out and treated with Nettex, the vents and popholes shut and 'steamed' (fumes allowed to soak in everywhere) for an hour in the sun. Then dried out before fresh bedding. All the birds in that area have been dusted. Hopefully that's an end to it as I well remember the nightmare problems we had in the UK.
I say the mite were unlucky because I had just completed a new coop for those birds, all freshly creosoted. The birds moved today, the old coop was hit with Nettex Total Mite Kill. Then the coop was dismantled and all the dead mite were scrubbed off and in a few minutes, when the wood has dried (32 degrees here +15 more in the sun), the coop will be re-treated internally with 50:50 creosote
araffin mix, the panels treated upside-down to get the stuff into the weatherboarding groove joints to kill any eggs. If that doesn't kill everything the coop is staying dismantled and going into storage anyway. So HA-HA red mite!!!All other coops checked and no problems. As a precaution the three downwind have been stripped out and treated with Nettex, the vents and popholes shut and 'steamed' (fumes allowed to soak in everywhere) for an hour in the sun. Then dried out before fresh bedding. All the birds in that area have been dusted. Hopefully that's an end to it as I well remember the nightmare problems we had in the UK.
