Red mite infestation!!! How to treat coop in subzero temps?

[Viollettt]

Was wondering now, how about the eggs? I have 9 hens just for eggs and Sevin is a toxin. Do i have to wait 2wks after the last dusting to use the eggs? Next 2 wks are my biggest baking wks of the yr.

I personally think that anemic chicken's eggs might be worse than putting sevin dust on the chicken. You can use the eggs in either case.

It's also not a surprise to me that chickens seem to get more mites when it gets really cold. Bugs like heat, too. So when it's warm they are jumping on and off doing other things. Going to the races, camping, hiking, and whatnot. Then cold hits. WHAM! They have to find somewhere warm to be... Chickens! 108°F (42°C) of pure ooey gooey food and heat!

 

[dawg53]

Quote: LOL, well said.

 

[lbrykowski2011]

Been researching on the eggs to be on safe side as much as possible. All the major universities and vets agree w/using the Sevin, but only the 5% and withdraw time is 7 days, because sevin is absorbed into the skin. Not to bad, better than lice.

The university of Maryland is the 1 that had the withdraw time on it.

 

[dawg53]

Been researching on the eggs to be on safe side as much as possible. All the major universities and vets agree w/using the Sevin, but only the 5% and withdraw time is 7 days, because sevin is absorbed into the skin. Not to bad, better than lice.

The university of Maryland is the 1 that had the withdraw time on it.

x2
We've been using sevin dust since the 60's in our vegetable gardens, on dogs, and as long as I've had chickens. Still alive and here typing.

 

[chickisoup]

Glad I came across this great info. Some reminders and some new info as well. Had to laugh at the "shake and bake" thought I was the only one that called it that (and even remembered shake and bake ) I use a plastic shopping bag vs paper. Easier to control. No red mites but got a surprise not long ago with what were probably northern fowl mites. Didn't ask em for their id before hitting them with the Sevin. Hadn't given much thought to the egg withdrawal thing since I , like Dawg, have used Sevin since working in my grannys garden and have never figured out how to not come in direct contact with at least a little of the stuff myself whether I'm trying to stay up wind of a tomato patch I'm dusting or a chicken that decided she just couldn't wait to rearrange her feathers after being dusted!

Whomever it was that kept insisting on spraying clearly has not dealt with our kind of cold. My high temp was a balmy -2F with a -25 windchill. The logistics alone makes it totally impractical besides what Dawg said about moisture in a (real) winter coop.

The biggest, and yuckiest, thing I learned though is that I was wrong in my assumption that us folks in colder climes would not have a red mite problem.

 

[Michael Apple]

Whomever it was that kept insisting on spraying clearly has not dealt with our kind of cold. My high temp was a balmy -2F with a -25 windchill. The logistics alone makes it totally impractical besides what Dawg said about moisture in a (real) winter coop.

That was me. I was using sodium fluoride dusts as a kid, so I know a bit about dusting. Drying time is never an issue with EC since you are spraying with a chemical type pump sprayer, not hosing down the bird or premises. I never let it dry 100% before adding new shavings in the coop. I give it 30 minutes to at least absorb into the wood. Been using EC for decades like an old timer I know in Montana (gets quite cold up there in the Winter). Emulsified concentrates like Ravap EC and Permectrin II are more affective than any dust since it penetrates wood, and are labeled for use on Poultry . Dusts do not have that residual power in addition to being messy. That's just the way it is.

 

[Viollettt]

Been researching on the eggs to be on safe side as much as possible. All the major universities and vets agree w/using the Sevin, but only the 5% and withdraw time is 7 days, because sevin is absorbed into the skin. Not to bad, better than lice.

The university of Maryland is the 1 that had the withdraw time on it.

x2
We've been using sevin dust since the 60's in our vegetable gardens, on dogs, and as long as I've had chickens. Still alive and here typing.

I'm wondering if there was a study or if someone just came up with a withdraw time out of their head. It's interesting for sure. At least this time of year I'm not getting that many eggs anyway so it would be a good time to treat just about anything. Thanks for the information.

 

[lbrykowski2011]

I found quite few universities with the withdraw charts for poultry, beef cattle- all listed separate for milk, eggs or eating the meat. I just googled withdraw time charts for eggs and got what i had. Being that universities do nothing but study w/funding $'s, I'm hoping these were extensive studies.

Micheal- if it was summer, I would def do the spray. The quick blast of sevin was good for now cuz it was fast and I was freezing already. lol I only have a 4x8 coop w/9 birds, so I can't fit in there good when it's cold out n freeze quick. I look for whatever works and is fast. Thanks for all the advice from everyone

 

[dawg53]

Quote: Here's the Chicken Withdrawal Time Chart, scroll down:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/29874841/Chicken-Withdrawal-Time-Chart

 

[lbrykowski2011]

That's even more up to date than the 1 I looked at and says 7 days for meat. 2 meds higher on the list it says don't eat eggs for 5 days, but under sevin, there is no egg note. I'm taking that as eggs are good to go while treating, that sure would help my holiday baking.