mold or mites?

[leedyfeathers]

I was cleaning sanitizing and repairs coop the other day and found two things.. one I believe they are darkling beetle eggs.. fresh and the only ones found were under a part of the roost that fits and nailed to the floor of coop

Then I found dark spots on the wall of coop mostly above nest boxes and on the unpainted part of my coop. It was dry some was clumped some not and most washed or with the water. I scratched some and it powdered off it did have a brownish look to it maybe like dried blood. It was concentrated on the side they all huddle up at there wS also a huge section over that same area of wall that water was leaking.

same picture only closer

I didnt see any plump red bubbles for red mites in other obvious place they would hide but I had just climbed out of coop talking to hubby and felt a sting looking down was a red fat bellied looking bug it was as big as the end of a used pencil lead. It had two or three legs on each side.. could been a spider because I have lots of webs already all in my coop. I smacked it and smeared red on my arm.. before thinking I could have got a picture. Any thoughts?

 

[SilkieNation]

Mold would likely create "power", which would be the fungal spores, but I'm thinking insect excrement... It's very hard to tell from the pictures.

 

[dawg53]

Those are cockroach eggs in the first pic. Use a rag with warm bleachwater and wipe everything down.

 

[leedyfeathers]

Those are cockroach eggs in the first pic. Use a rag with warm bleachwater and wipe everything down.

soaked everything in Oxine treated water ti cover viral fungal and bugs

 

[SilkieNation]

Maybe add some DE in crevices, here and there around the coop as a preventative. It'll break down the insect exoskeletons, if that's what you have. I wonder how good DE is for chicken respiratory tracts, but lots of people use it and believe in it. I successfully combated indoor cat fleas with DE, a vac, and lots of washing. I figured it was better than insecticide!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
That's even better than bleach, good job!

 

[dawg53]

Maybe add some DE in crevices, here and there around the coop as a preventative. It'll break down the insect exoskeletons, if that's what you have. I wonder how good DE is for chicken respiratory tracts, but lots of people use it and believe in it. I successfully combated indoor cat fleas with DE, a vac, and lots of washing. I figured it was better than insecticide!

Dont you believe for one minute that DE is good for chicken respiratory system. DE is hyped, and ineffective when wet.

 

[SilkieNation]

Dont you believe for one minute that DE is good for chicken respiratory system. DE is hyped, and ineffective when wet.

That's what a meant actually. I'm with you that it's potentially a harmful substance. It's horrible for human lungs, so why is it okay for chicken lungs? I don't understand why people use so much of it around their chickens, particularly putting it in their dirt baths. However, I still think small amounts in hard to get to places where bugs hang out may be okay. And, I did choose to use it carefully when my cats got fleas instead of the toxic chemical alternatives. So bottom line, I use it occasionally, but with great care.

 

[leedyfeathers]

i also use DE but I use it under the chips and lightly cover floor and in nest boxes but if that is roach eggs then it didn't bother them in the least this was well under a support board for the perch. I was hoping for a preventive more than anything with DE. I did at first use ton of it in coop till learned it wasn't good for repertory track, I still use it though in dirt baths and over chips sometimes mostly under chips. I think what helps is they spend a short time in the coop mainly sleep and nest they don't hang around inside it much at all.
I just will have to keep a closer eye on the birds took a gander the other day at a chicken butt while they had got bedded down for the night... no red mites at that time. Im going to be doing another exstreem clean because ill be adding in some chicks and don't need a cross infection of any type. so we will pay even closer inspection and cleaning to the perch.

 

[SilkieNation]

I'm reluctant to even post this because I have absolutely no idea if these herbs from the Chicken Chick work, or if roaches would love them or hate them. It looks as though you have lots of the critters, so obviously you have to do a lot more than sprinkle some herbs around, but if you get things cleaned up, perhaps this could be another line of defense used with other preventative measures. I'm inclined to think that they won't do a whole lot, but I like the idea anyway, and I'm going to try it in my coop. I don't have roaches, but I did get lice once and I never want those moving in again! If nothing else, the herbs might make the coop smell nice! Good luck! I hope you win the battle soon.

From the Chicken Chick:

1 lb Spruce the Coop Herbal Fusion. FREE SHIPPING!

I'd love to hear if anyone has tried these and if they think they were in any way effective.