BDutch's bantam flock & natural breeding projects #5 🪺 🪺 and #6

[BDutch]

It's winter where I live, so there's not much point in looking for mites, but I'm definitely going to try the cardboard traps once the weather warms up. Hopefully they'll be empty but if not, I'll do a daily trap and burn like the chap in the video.

Or I might apply Coopex for a quicker remediation.

I thought it doesn’t freeze in Adaide in winter? With temps in the coop of 12C or more the red mites live and multiply. If so its good to check every in the winter period too. With higher temps they just multiply faster.

 

[BDutch]

This video is great. I am definitely going to give it a go.
One question, why do his cardboard wraps have to be at the ends? Do the mites only live at the ends? I thought they lived in any nooks and crannies. I use tree branches so I have crevices all along its length.

Therefore the branches are a bigger risk as shaved wood (with rounded edges) from the shop with a smooth surface.
The first time I had mite I found mite and mite eggs under the bark. Reason enough for me to discard it and not use branches anymore as roost to sleep on.

The cardboard wraps probably don’t work very good with irregularities in the branches.

 

[RoyalChick]

Therefore the branches are a bigger risk as shaved wood (with rounded edges) from the shop with a smooth surface.
The first time I had mite I found mite and mite eggs under the bark. Reason enough for me to discard it and not use branches anymore as roost to sleep on.

The cardboard wraps probably don’t work very good with irregularities in the branches.

I will give it a go anyway. Sounds like you agree that in my situation the 'ends' is less relevant as they could be anywhere.

 

[BDutch]

I will give it a go anyway. Sounds like you agree that in my situation the 'ends' is less relevant as they could be anywhere.

Just guessing.
Maybe its relevant that the mites need to pass the wrapped cardboard before they go the coop wall? But the guy in the video didn’t explain.

 

[RoyalChick]

Just guessing.
Maybe its relevant that the mites need to pass the wrapped cardboard before they go the coop wall? But the guy in the video didn’t explain.

I will gather enough carboard to do ends and middle and see what I find!
Thanks for posting about this as I never heard of this idea anywhere else.

 

[ManueB]

I think the idea is to put the rolls in a place where you are certain the mites will have to walk through. In his case the mites climb up the wall, which is why he says it's important that the chickens must be made to roost some space away from the wall, otherwise the mites will directly just climb on them and skip walking on the roost.

Strange enough, last year when I had mites (I'm expecting some again now we have our usual summer weather back) they didn't go on all the old roosts made of branches and irregular wood, but I did find them on the smooth recent roost my partner's father had made for us from half drafters.

Edited to add : last year I treated the roost with juniper oil. I'm not sure if it's a product sold in other countries but here it's used a lot for cattles and farm animals. It worked very well but once the roost were oiled, the hens had trouble getting a good grip. This year I am going to give a try at a drop of Neem oil on each bird. Although it's not authorized as a pesticide here, I use some in the garden and it seems to be one that cause lesser damage to bees.

 

[MaryJanet]

I thought it doesn’t freeze in Adaide in winter? With temps in the coop of 12C or more the red mites live and multiply. If so its good to check every in the winter period too. With higher temps they just multiply faster.

Not freezing, no.

But often lower than 12C overnight. Last night was 10C, tonight's forecast is 7C.

 

[MaryJanet]

My neighbour has kept chickens for many decades and he pours boiling water on the roosts to kill mites. Has anyone else tried this?

I know Shad advises blowtorching them. Maybe boiling water is just as effective.

 

[Oob Child]

 

[BDutch]

My neighbour has kept chickens for many decades and he pours boiling water on the roosts to kill mites. Has anyone else tried this?

I know Shad advises blowtorching them. Maybe boiling water is just as effective.

If its 12C outside, then the temp in the coop will be higher.

I know (from others) that a steam device does the job. Getting boiling water in the coop in another way seems difficult.