Elector PSP and whitewash?

[traco]

We ordered the Elector end of July. First treatment did 2.5 ml. to a litre mixed well and mixed whilst spraying. 3 days later still had mites. The next three times, we mixed 3 ml. to a litre (the dosing on the bottle says 9 ml. to a gallon ... so our dose was correct). The last two hubby sprayed twice, the chickens once that day. That was 2, 3 weeks ago roughly. Last night tons of the mites are back. Was told that one time was all that was needed. That is not true, at least in my case. .

This is a brand new built coop this year, 5 hens. I want to get rid of the mites and also want to whitewash the inside of the coop. I should dose with something to kill the mites and then do a whitewash? Or will doing just a whitewash kill the mites? Do not want to use DE.

Edit: We live in Canada so don't have the broad range of products you in the US have. The Elector was over $200.00 Canadian to get here.

 

[JaeG]

DE isn't effective again red mites. I know from experience! Mites are a pain to get rid of. I do sympathise!

I used Neem oil to great effect in my coop but I know in Canada it isn't an 'approved' product so not sure how difficult it would be to get hold of. I painted the inside of my coop with the neem oil diluted 50% with warm water. I only had to do it once and my infestation was really bad. I got bitten to pieces by the mites as I tried different products over the course of my 6 week battle. I'm in New Zealand and very little is available here. Elemental sulphur is a good dusting product (cheaper and much more effective than DE) to use in the coop in cracks, crevices and under bedding. But you need to kill off the majority of mites first.

Another product I used was Vetafarm Insect Liquidator sprayed on my girls, mostly on their legs as the mites crawl up their legs to feed. It kills mites, including red mite, and can last up to 6 weeks and is safe to spray on finch eggs and chicks so it's a safe product to use. I did it weekly until I knew I was on top of the mites.

 

[lilredracr]

https://www.elanco.us/pdfs/uspbuels00012_elector-psp-northern-fowl-mite-guidelines.pdf
You should be spraying everything including the hens, run, coop etc. with the solution.

 

[traco]

Well, not impressed with the Elector. Have treated 5 times. The first 4 were a 3 ml. to a litre dosage. The last time treated with 4 ml to a litre. Every time, the whole coop, roosts, all cracks and crevices have been well saturated. That was 10 days ago and just now, checked the coop as it's nice and sunny and the mites are back. These are red mites. Getting tired of treating. Was told a one time treatment was all that was needed. This product was expensive to get to Canada.

I have got hydrated lime so I can do a whitewash in the coop. Haven't done it yet as was waiting to see if last Elector treatment worked. And, it has not.

So, now at a crossroad, do we do another treatment of Elector or should we try something else? If so, what?

 

[AndreaMcChick]

You can spray the coop very very well with the elector PSP then sprinkle the Sven or other Permethrin dust all around and down in the cracks. Then wait a day or two and paint to coop with the traditional whitewash made from hydrated lime and water. I have used the hydrated lime as a white wash in my chicken coops for years and have had lice (which they get from the ground and other birds in the area) but never mites.