How often do you freshen nest boxes?

[lagrange chicks]

I use artificial turf in mine and just shake them out every couple months if not to dirty, if real dirty hose them off. The turf is used for my rollaway nest boxes.

 

[thecatumbrella]

We also only change nest boxes for poop, broken eggs, and mite outbreaks. Have you tried using Elector PSP? I know it is expensive, but it lasts forever and for us was totally worth it. While we haven't had leg mites, we have had a couple of northern fowl mite outbreaks. Each time I believe was due to a hen who stopped dust bathing before she passed away. The first time, I tried treating with permethrin and it took several treatments to kill the mites. Treating every bird and completely cleaning out the coop multiple times was not fun! Elector PSP was truly a one and done treatment

I do have Elector PSP, and we actually used it the help treat the leg mites on the chickens (since they're feather-footed). I could certainly make it into a spray and coat any cracks in the coop.

Unfortunately, they clearly picked the mites up from their run. I'm not sure how to treat that! It's a 6" deep layer of fresh mulch. No birds can get in, but mice can (and there's nothing I can do about that, short of building a new run). It's probably a losing battle from that end.

But I agree, Elector PSP is the best!

 

[thecatumbrella]

I use artificial turf in mine and just shake them out every couple months if not to dirty, if real dirty hose them off. The turf is used for my rollaway nest boxes.

This is my goal for when the weather warms up. I like the shaving layer for training new layers (and some extra warmth in winter), but I'd like them to just use the plastic pad next summer. Glad to hear it's working for you!

 

[RubelliteRose]

I do have Elector PSP, and we actually used it the help treat the leg mites on the chickens (since they're feather-footed). I could certainly make it into a spray and coat any cracks in the coop.

Unfortunately, they clearly picked the mites up from their run. I'm not sure how to treat that! It's a 6" deep layer of fresh mulch. No birds can get in, but mice can (and there's nothing I can do about that, short of building a new run). It's probably a losing battle from that end.

But I agree, Elector PSP is the best!

When we treat with Elector PSP, we treat both the birds and the coop. I remove all shaving from the coop, sweep it out and then spray everything including the tools that I used. I also make sure to spray the roosts in the covered part of the run, but not the run itself. My understanding is that the PSP leaves a film on protected surfaces that will continue to kill mites for a while after treatment, so that helps suppress reinfections.