Red mites everywhere....

[beachyhead]

We came back from 2 weeks away to find one of the hen houses covered in red mite. The chickens had abandoned ship and all gone to live in the other one. We took the house out, power hosed it, then steamed it, then we set off a fumigator insecticide under a tarpaulin, then we just went to carry it back in, and there are still some around....How do you kill them? We've steamed and fumigated the other house, swept everything up, treated all the chickens.... What now? Dh is now creasoteing (sp!) the original infected house...

Any other ideas out there?

Oh yes, all straw is out and being burnt!!! and miles away from where they are, but I can't believe how indestructible they are! Four powerful insectiside bombs! What are they made of.....
We have red mile powder and Diatom and pink killer spray....

I have had four showers in the last two days, feeling so itchy!

I saw reports that they can feed on people too. Is there any truth in that? I've treated the dogs with their Practic early so they should be safe...

The idea of dh and a blowtorch is not one I want to entertain! Pyro-boy!

I think deep cleans for the next few weeks should crack it. I found one on my lap top earlier!

Might get Vaseline tomorrow.. They suggest garlic, I might use my lazy garlic and smear a bit around....That should make my chickens smell lovely!

I've been doing this today as well. I hate the itchy little bastards. Interestingly the houses that have been creosoted are much less susceptible to mite that uncreosoted ones. Not that you can get hold of creosote readily though but the substitute is quite effective.

I think that you need to try to break the life cycle so retreatment will be necessary to get the eggs hatching out after today so I'm retreating after 4/5 days.

I've also Frontlined them.

can you frontline chickens? Only ever do my dogs.... is it the over the counter stuff? please say I don't need prescriptions for chickens

Yes - it is the over the counter stuff. It's not licenced for chickens but vets often prescribe it off licence. Mine recommends 3/4 drops for large fowl 2/3 for smaller chickens or bantams. Egg withdrawal is 7 days.

It will kill any mites on the bird as well. I also use a dusting powder inside the house.

I have checked this morning and can't see any mites in the houses. Early days though. Good luck

Thanks....I just checked one bird and she has lots, so even though we dusted all the birds yesterday, more power is needed.....

I'll go down and get some from the animal shop...

I know this sounds stupid but shall I get the cat or dog? Does it make a difference?

Well they are all done, so we shall wait and see....No eggs for a week! Actually they really hadn't been laying much recently anyway, probably due to the mites... I feel much more informed now and will be much more rigorous in future...Such is the life of a newbie chicken keeper.

I've checked mine daily and no sign of anything on the houses that were infested. I'll spray those with creosote again at the weekend. I sprayed a couple more empty houses for the second time today and nothing emerged during the spraying from the crevices. Tackled one of the bigger empty houses and OMG they came absolutely pouring out of the crevices when I sprayed to be nuked by the creosote. I'll give that house another spray in 4/5 days.

I now smell like a fence though and the local builders merchant must wonder what I'm doing with all the cresote.