- Sep 14, 2007
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Just a note to all that St David's Poultry (AKA Chickenvet) is selling predator mites for controlling chicken mites.( Location UK )
I am located in California and am paying $100.00 ....steep but I figured I would give it a try.
Key points you need to know:- from the site itself:
I am located in California and am paying $100.00 ....steep but I figured I would give it a try.
Key points you need to know:- from the site itself:
- You must not have used red mite treatments in the chicken house for 4 weeks prior to introducing the red mite. The coop should have been hosed out during this time too so that products such as Diatomacious Earth or Red Mite Powder are washed away.
- You must use the predators immediately upon arrival. They can only survive a short time without a feed and will starve if you delay distributing them.
- Predator Mites need to be kept warm. Ideally between 8 (46f) and 20 (68F) degrees C. Above 30 degrees, (86-F) will kill them, as will low temperatures.
- You must introduce the mites evenly around the coop but not in deep litter. Concentrate on the cracks and crevices as well as nest boxes, perch ends and under feed containers. Red mite are usually found near to chickens where they roost at night.
- You shouldn't clean the house for a couple of weeks. Removing the litter will remove the predators too. Pick droppings out rather than clean out.
- Make sure there are no wet floors or leaky drinkers - they do not tolerate getting wet.
- Add the mites to an area where there was a red mite infestation in the cracks of the wall and around the end of one of the perches. The rest of the mites were distributed evenly around the chicken house.