Any suggestions for making a mite-proof (no gaps, cracks etc) roost??

[Featherland26]

I have a fairly large coop, I would like to build a mite-proof roost before spring. I have always had annoying problems of mites hiding in the roost and having to keep spraying it once a week. Do you have any suggestions?...

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Well, dunno what kinda temp in your area, but PVC roosts are not porous........Pop

 

[Imp]

Maybe something like Trex lumber.

Imp

 

[Featherland26]

The weather is fairly mild here. BTW what is trex lumber? is it a type of wood?

 

[artsyrobin]

looks like it is a composite of plastic recylables and wood- trex.com, did see one complaint that it gets moldy....i was think pvc would be better, maybe cover it with vet wrap to make it less slippery?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

. I have always had annoying problems of mites hiding in the roost and having to keep spraying it once a week

You need to find something that will kill the mites, then it won't matter how the roost is constructed.
Evidently your spray isn't working.

Painting the roost, if it's made of wood, will seal the cracks where they hide​

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I've been fortunate enough to not have had mites yet, but I did have a terrible infestation of poultry ticks, which act a lot like some mites--hiding in crevices by the roosts during the day and coming out to feed on the chickens right after dusk. So I had to eliminate all the cracks and crevices in which they could hide. I have 2 X 6s and 2 X 4s for roosts mounted on metal shelf brackets. I first plugged every hole and crevice with a caulking product called DAP 3.O (crystal clear). I then sprayed the metal brackets with Orange Guard, which kept them oily and limited the ticks that dropped off the chickens on onto the ground from getting back to their roosts. I have a lot more detail on what I did here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=56638-poultry-ticks I think that eliminating the hiding spots is half the battle with dealing with these sorts of pests. Good luck!