Help! Red mites - will I ever get rid of them?

[TheFowlAndThePussycat]

Our hen house is completely infested. I have sprayed the house out with insecticide every three days for the last week but I keep finding new places where they are hiding - today I have found hundreds between the roof felt and the roof.

It is an old style wooden house - full of nooks and crannies, have I got any hope of clearing them now? Or should I give up - get rid of the house & get a new plastic one?

Do they live in the ground? If I bring in a new house will that get infested too? The hens are temporarily relocated into an old run, but I'm not very happy with it because it wasn't designed for so many hens (5) so I need to make some quick decisions really.

Any advice gratefully received!

Get a plastic coop. It will change your life

Yes, it was the total mite kill we used 3 times owllady although we perhaps could have scrubbed it in a bit more - it is hard to get inside the house & reach all the nooks & crannies.

DH wants to use a smoke bomb thing now.

I'm worried that they might now be living in the ground & we'll never get rid.

Thought I'd update! After weeks of mite-y misery we have given up & bought one of these babies. DH went out to lock them in just now & they are all (bar one, who doesn't fit) sleeping in the nest box. Dozy beggars...

I think if you have chickens, then some years you will have red mites. There seem to be loads about this year. My friend lost some chickens to them earlier this year then yesterday I just caught my broody Marans in time as she had got weak and could barely walk from an attack of mites- yet was fine the previous day! Today she is back on form, I just cleaned out and sprayed her and the ark and will just keep an eye on everything daily now.

I've had red mite and some other tiny little lice. I've been scouring the eglu every week but they hide in the bedding so I've been changing that midweek as well and burning it. They crawl between the sheets of newspaper in the nestbox.

Omlet Eglu houses are often said to be a solution, but they actually spread mite. If you wash them out with water, or even soapy water, the mites are just distributed and will trundle back to your chickens. The best ways to prevent and deal with problems are:

Flea drops (3 behind the neck of an average chicken) every 3 months
Clean your houses with strong disinfectants (bleach the roof once a month)
use aromatic oils or diluted disinfectant in your shavings
Big smears of Vaseline at the end of perches by the side wall (these act as mite traps and also give you an idea of the problem.

Eglus are unhygienic as they cause chickens to overheat at night and condensation breeds bacteria. Your chickens will breath in infected moisture and develop diseases quicker. Once one catches something-the whole flock gets it and then they are riddled. A well ventilated British made wooden house will last longer and provide a healthy environment so long as you take the steps above! You can buy two for the price of Omlet houses and have spare accommodation for youngsters, new arrivals or broodys.

Well, we're really happy with it. Not seen a mite since we swapped houses (3 months). It is more than big enough, there are only five of them in there and plenty of ventilation slots. Hens are laying well & seem cheerful. We had a "British made wooden house" for five years, it was fine, but I prefer the eglu.

ChookyChooks - you really don't like eglus do you! I have en eglu cube. It is well ventilated. I have never noticed condensation. You seem to be out on a campaign to rubbish omlet/eglus at any opportunity!

Hi have you tried diatomaceous earth?
I've just bought some as it's meant to be good. Tiny sharp little particles that pierce and kill crawling insects including red mite. Sprinkle it in the coop!