easy solve to red mite found!

[mel carroll]

Hi Everyone!
I have visited this site before but have just signed up today as I really want to share a breakthrough I have made with the dreaded red mite problem
It happened about 6 weeks ago that I got talking with a gentleman from the Philippines who raised roosters, their solution was fresh cut lemongrass in the coops and run. This would have been cost prohibitive for me not having an abundance so I have experimented.
Basically I have found that powdered lemongrass (only $2/100gms from the asian shop) scattered within the coop and run when I change the bedding has completely eliminated red mite within 2 weeks and kept it away despite having free ranging chickens!
I have a very large coop and run but a packet lasts me a month (I change bedding weekly) so for smaller coops it would last even longer.
I am so excited by this discovery that I had to share it!

 

[Spartan22]

So it really works? We’d been planting lemon grass with our herbs garden by the run for the last 2 years, We’ve never used it for anything except love the smell of it when we brushed on the blades walking by to head to our coop. Will definitely use it now to prevent mites or other bugs.

 

[aart]

Basically I have found that powdered lemongrass (only $2/100gms from the asian shop) scattered within the coop and run when I change the bedding has completely eliminated red mite within 2 weeks and kept it away despite having free ranging chickens!
I have a very large coop and run but a packet lasts me a month (I change bedding weekly) so for smaller coops it would last even longer.

Interesting!
How big, in feet by feet, is a 'very large coop'?
How much did you scatter.....a tablespoon, a cup?
Wonders what the volume of 100gms of LG powder looks like.

What kind of bedding do you use?
How long has it been since you started this regime?
Did you treat the birds also, and examine them closely down the the skin to ensure the mites are truly gone?
Wonders if it works on lice too.

What is your climate?
Adding your location to your profile is easy, then it's always there!

 

[CCUK]

Hi. Welcome to BYC. It's good to share tips for mite deterrents. Does the lemongrass kill mites or deter them?