Red (Black) mites

[lizzylemon]

I'm buying some on Wednesday - I think a little bird mentioned on this very thread it's cheaper day on Wednesdays at B&Q.

The girls have already gone back to laying an egg a day each (bless them) but I can't bear the thought of having them going through this again so spraying, smearing and painting the mites to death (might even get the blow torch out too). XX

[MaureenHall]

I'm buying some on Wednesday - I think a little bird mentioned on this very thread it's cheaper day on Wednesdays at B&Q.

Only if you're old enough to have a Diamond Card (or you take your mum or grandma with you)

[di]

£***'n@ %u@@*(s!!!!!

So,having learned the hard way,this time before sitting Dandelion on her eggs we took all precautions!
Sat her in the clean coop...sprayed it with Poultry Shield as a precautionary.Dusted her down more than a chook has probably been dusted down before,made her a nest from a new cardboard box...lined first with a liberal dusting of mite powder,topped with newspaper,a little more mite powder & then Hemcore.Dusted the floor of the coop also.
This morning,whilst checking on her,slightly lifted the box...she was in it & really didn't appreciate me messing with her...several little raspberry like patches both on the floor & underside of the box....squished what I could,but we all know that would only be a minute fraction of what's there!
Other than curl up in a tight ball & have a good cry...what now???(desparate smiley!)
I'm starting to think the mite powder has no effect...she really had such a covering,only just a week ago,yet judging by the colour & masses of the bloody things,they've obviously been feasting on her!

Just as soon as we can,ALL coops will be creocoted,but obviously I can't do the one she's in whilst she's sat on eggs!

[Suechooks]

So,having learned the hard way,this time before sitting Dandelion on her eggs we took all precautions!
Sat her in the clean coop...sprayed it with Poultry Shield as a precautionary.Dusted her down more than a chook has probably been dusted down before,made her a nest from a new cardboard box...lined first with a liberal dusting of mite powder,topped with newspaper,a little more mite powder & then Hemcore.Dusted the floor of the coop also.
This morning,whilst checking on her,slightly lifted the box...she was in it & really didn't appreciate me messing with her...several little raspberry like patches both on the floor & underside of the box....squished what I could,but we all know that would only be a minute fraction of what's there!
Other than curl up in a tight ball & have a good cry...what now???(desparate smiley!)
I'm starting to think the mite powder has no effect...she really had such a covering,only just a week ago,yet judging by the colour & masses of the bloody things,they've obviously been feasting on her!

Just as soon as we can,ALL coops will be creocoted,but obviously I can't do the one she's in whilst she's sat on eggs!

Have you got a big cardboard box or dog crate you could put her in? Then put her in a safe place - maybe garage at home or something?
The mite powder only deters them as far as I can see rather than killing the little b@$!@*$?
On another forum they all use FicamW - mentioned this earlier but I don't know anything about it. Maybe someone else will comment? It's supposed to be nasty stuff but effective and leaves a residue which kills off any strays or new hatches.
You must be really fed-up! Do hope everything comes right. <<<<big hug>>>>>

[MaureenHall]

Oh Di!!!!!!! That is just pants! Apart from as you say moving her to a brand new coop complete with a coating of louse/red mite treatment on her, I can't think of anything else to do. I'm keeping my fingers well and truly crossed that somebody can come up with a solution for you {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{hugs hun }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

[TPeers]

Do you own a blow torch? If you could lift her out for say ten mins you could blowtorch the coop and kill a high percentage of the little $&%$ and be able to return her at once as there is no after effect. You don't need to blacken the wood or even scorch it much - just play it over all the cracks to get the heat and flame to lick in.

The hot vinagar spray will deal with any mites it touches but is caustic and the smell of picked coop is something else again!

Have you tried Diatome powder in a thick layer? Not just a light puff but an actual covering, thick enough for footprints.

[lizzylemon]

Oh no!!! Thats truly cr*p - all that effort and still the little sh*ts live on. <<<<<<<<<hug>>>>>>>>>

I seriously doubt the red mite powder's effectiveness. I put a huge pile of it in the bottom of the coop as I thought that would stop them getting inside and they didn't seem to notice the powder at all and so I had my little infestation.

I think the vinegar and heat might be a good solution for a sitting hen. I guess the smell might only be off putting to us humans and the vents will be open anyway. I sprayed my killer stuff with the girls inside and worried about them but they seemed fine the next morning.

Do you think a hair dryer would be hot enough to kill them - bit less chance of setting fire to something?

[its hilly]

Dont think a hair dryer would do it ...but have you got or can borrow a paint stripping gun..they're much hotter but would scorch wood before they set fire to it.
good luck

[di]

Thanks for your advice & support everyone...I truly felt like crap earlier!When it happened with Marigold I felt overwhelmed with guilt that we hadn't prepared ourselves for the (then unknown)worst!...this time however,I thought we'd been OTT in preparing her for a comfortable & safe three weeks!I just felt totally desperate that there's no winning with them!
Despite spending the morning hunting papers & computer for rabbit hutches & then this afternoon driving around checking out all the little free~ad boards in shops around Ipswich...came up with zilch!So unfortunately she is still in the same coop.We have however given it a good scrub & wiped down with Poultry Shield...didn't want to spray as it would have left it damp for her?Dusted the area her box is in with liberal amounts of mite powder,changed her nest...also layered with mite powder & newspaper & mite powder & hemcore.She also got another good dust down...much to her disgrace!
We were a little worried it would put her off going back on the eggs,but despite her hissing viscious broody ways,we still love her more than the eggs,so her comfort & wellbeing comes first!I'm sure I'll be checking her in a very paranoid way for the next two weeks & ideally if we can sort a new coop then that will be preferable,but hopefully the mite powder will prove it's worth & keep them away!...there were actually far fewer mites in her nest than I'd expected,so maybe the Barrier stuff's not as carp as I was starting to think???
Unfortunately we have neither a blow torch nor paint stripping gun to hand,but shall remain on a hunt for them whilst searching for a suitable new broody coop...don't tell Andi but I think he may be building one at the weekend!

Bang goes a relaxed hatch!!!

[julesapple]

Going to get DD to check my coop for me, as I'm feeling a total twit with this flu, and can't do much (in less than 12 hours!)

We found two sort of lines of mites on one perch. Cleaned everything, sprayed the girls with the spray that DD uses for the BOPs although we couldn't see anything on them.

I went out this morning with my magnifying glass and couldn't see anything, but I'm not convinced so DD will continue checking and hopefully with scrub out the henhouse tomorrow. We gloss painted the entire insides of out coop & house so they are easier to spot and there are less crevices hopefully.

Andi & Di and Lizzy, ((((((HOOGEST HUGS)))) you'll get there, keep your chins up!

Jules

[di]

Thanks Jules!xx
Hope you're feeling better soon & that you/DD manage to get on top of yours before they become a problem!{{{x}}}

[TPeers]

Let us know how you get on - Andi&di - have you considered moving Marigold into a cat carrier? The plastic ones are faily cheap and easy to clean - you can leave the swinging door off and put it in the run at the end away from the coop. If you are worried your other birds might pick on her then close the gate and shut her in!

[tlck9]

Hi All

it would be good to post some pictures of these little critters, perhaps on this post or another, so as a newbie I can see what I'm looking for....

I've seen a tick on a dog, but lice and fleas....thats another thing

I find alsorts of little bugs as we live next to fields, but I never know what they are

[di]

Hi All

it would be good to post some pictures of these little critters, perhaps on this post or another, so as a newbie I can see what I'm looking for....

I've seen a tick on a dog, but lice and fleas....thats another thing

I find alsorts of little bugs as we live next to fields, but I never know what they are

Being as tiny as they are,not sure you'd be able to get a particularly good pic?...definately not with our camera!

Before a feast they are a brownish grey like speck...but when there's lots it'll look like a pile of moving dust.
When they've had a feast they turn red,this is when you may notice little squashed raspberry like patches.
Another way of finding out if you have them is to run a white cloth along your perches...if there's any red stains,chances are you have them.
They really are very tiny & mostly only come out at night,however with our broody I noticed them,during the day,when I slightly lifted her nest box to have a peep underneath(as you do!)...there were several grey patches,which I'm guessing were eggs & also a couple of red blobs...moving!I guess that as she keeps the nest warm & dark all day they don't much care whether it's day or night.Horrible things!

Hope that's been of a little help...maybe someone with a decent camera will be able to do better?

[di]

To add to that...lice are perfectly visible to the human eye...if you look under your girls wings you'll see if they have them,they attatch themselves to the feathers.
They live on the bird as opposed to the surroundings.
They look pretty similar to any other lice...long skinny things...far easier to rid than mites!...the Barrier mite powder works on lice as well...not really sure why they have two different products on the market?