I'm looking to buy a new chicken house - which material is best to avoid red mite?

Sire12

Songster
Aug 29, 2016
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Northern Ireland
I'd prefer to get a shed rather than a coop as they are used to sleeping in a shed on roosts also a shed gives me more room to get in and power wash and is easier cleaned out, it's mostly for them to sleep in as they will be free ranging for the rest of the day so no need for a run. At first I was set on getting plastic because I assumed it would be easier to keep out red mite then I read that apparently it's just as easy for red mite to live in plastic / metal as it is wood, also which type of roof is better to get? I've heard felt is no good as the mites will live underneath it and be even harder to get at since you can't spray under the felt, I already have total mite kill and other products to keep them at bay I'm just wondering what you guys think would be the best option for a new chicken house if you were to to get a new one, I can spend around $250-300
 
The only fool proof way to avoid red mites is to ensure no rodents or wild birds can get into the coop, as mites are tiny and experts at hiding out anywhere they can. They will even sit and wait on the under side of the roosting bar. Rodents and wild birds are the carriers (as well as hosts) and easily transfer these horrible pests when they come looking for food.

I've had rats chew through thick pieces of wood to get to my quail. They will dig in as well given half a chance so they are the more challenging to keep out. Sheets of metal around the base of the coop around 3ft high (so they can't just jump over it) stops them climbing up to find a way in (or do any damage with those teeth).

Hope that helps some.
 
The only fool proof way to avoid red mites is to ensure no rodents or wild birds can get into the coop, as mites are tiny and experts at hiding out anywhere they can. They will even sit and wait on the under side of the roosting bar. Rodents and wild birds are the carriers (as well as hosts) and easily transfer these horrible pests when they come looking for food.

I've had rats chew through thick pieces of wood to get to my quail. They will dig in as well given half a chance so they are the more challenging to keep out. Sheets of metal around the base of the coop around 3ft high (so they can't just jump over it) stops them climbing up to find a way in (or do any damage with those teeth).

Hope that helps some.


Thanks for the info, I was planning on leaving the door to the run open all day so they can come in when it rains and to lay in their nest boxes so rats could still get in through the door even if I put metal sheets around the base :( do you know if material makes any difference like is it worth going for a plastic / metal shed or would it make no difference?

Also I have some good thick tree branch roosts in their last coop but I'm not sure if I should bring them since the red mite eggs could still be there and hatch in the new coop, thinking of going with pvc roosts instead but again if material doesn't make a difference then I don't know
 
Red mite tend to live in cracks and in the end grain of wood in particular. The fewer of these you have the less places there are for them to hide in.
Scaly Leg Mite lives on the chicken but you can find them (moving house) on the perch or the coop floor.
Bedding often comes with mites already installed.
I use plywood sheets to build my coops. This leaves the joint seams and the perch ends as the only hiding places for mites.
 
I'd prefer to get a shed rather than a coop as they are used to sleeping in a shed on roosts also a shed gives me more room to get in and power wash and is easier cleaned out, it's mostly for them to sleep in as they will be free ranging for the rest of the day so no need for a run. At first I was set on getting plastic because I assumed it would be easier to keep out red mite then I read that apparently it's just as easy for red mite to live in plastic / metal as it is wood, also which type of roof is better to get? I've heard felt is no good as the mites will live underneath it and be even harder to get at since you can't spray under the felt, I already have total mite kill and other products to keep them at bay I'm just wondering what you guys think would be the best option for a new chicken house if you were to to get a new one, I can spend around $250-300
Power washing is a great way to moisten the environment(especially wood) for bugs ;) if you soak it in anything with mites present, use permethrin spray.

Not sure how much coop that will buy you in Ireland, probably close to in the US, it wouldn't get you much.
 
That’s why I like the Omlet stuff. We regularly clean it with a semi industrial Karcher power washer. There’s less nooks and crevices with the Omlet and it’s very, very clean after the Karcher.


I was looking at their coops they looks great but are quite expensive, I would prefer plastic but couldn't a fox chew through a plastic shed / coop just as easily as wood?
 

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