And there I was, feeling quite smug.....

[lettucegrow!]

As I walked up to the coop to give it a scrub, bucket of disenfectant in one hand, coffee in the other. Would I ever know what red mite looked like, would I recognise them? Believe me, recognisable instantly as I took the straw and paper out of the nest box, there they were!!!
Everythings been scrubbed down, poultry shielded, and liberally dusted with Diatom. They've gone to bed as normal so I think I caught the first of them. Fingers crossed.

[perkin]

Horrible things - good thing you got them quickly. We haven't had an infestation this year thankfully.

[Suechooks]

So far so good for me too but you have to be SO vigilant. If you've seen one there's hundreds lurking somewhere close by!

[its hilly]

LOL I know that feeling. I did really well 'till a couple of weeks back, then the little beggers appeared in two of my coops.
The older birds seem to be ok, but my young silkie cockeral went very wobbly, which was the only reason I realised that their coop was infected despite checking . Poor lile chap obviously couldn't cope with growing up, looking after his girls (he's a real sweetheart with them) and getting eaten alive at the same time. Fortunately a few days on TLC, growers pellets and spoiling rotten is setting him right.

[BUFFS]

well done you,for spotting them early,after trying all the other solutions to this probem,iused diatom liberally,in the coop and on the birds, and since then all clear,checked mine yesterday as they should be going at the weekend to their new servants......

[lettucegrow!]

Just relieved I did! Everything seems OK. No sign of any more but I am going to do the same thorough clean this weekend.