Roost and Mites

[HollyWoozle]

I have had this problem with red mite living in the cracks and crevices and Vaseline is the key in my experience. I regularly spray with permethrin as others have suggested, but I put vaseline in/over any crack on the roost bars and it leaves them nowhere to escape the permethrin.

 

[Ted Brown]

... I put vaseline in/over any crack on the roost bars and it leaves them nowhere to escape the permethrin.

I do not have experience with Red mites rather Northern Fowl but I used permethrin on both birds and my coop.

I used concentrate and sprayed an empty coop that had been vaccumed. I soaked everywhere with a focus on cracks between the 6" wall boards. Let it dry, added pine chips, let the flock back in.

I use Sulphur in a dust bag over the pop door and in their dust baths for maintenance.

The comments about vasiline are intriguing as grease in a very dirty environment is counter intuitive.

 

[HollyWoozle]

The comments about vasiline are intriguing as grease in a very dirty environment is counter intuitive.

I can understand that it does sound a bit wacky - I think I got the tip on here somewhere and it is very effective. In our case we are using a pair of roost bars which are connected together at each end by another piece of wood (sort of looks like a ladder with just a rung at each end). Mites tended to hide in the gaps where the wood is screwed together or in little knots in the wood - I only put the vaseline over these cracks either end and any knots/notches in the wood, so it's really just a small amount in the grand scheme of things.

 

[fairie]

I have had this problem with red mite living in the cracks and crevices and Vaseline is the key in my experience. I regularly spray with permethrin as others have suggested, but I put vaseline in/over any crack on the roost bars and it leaves them nowhere to escape the permethrin.

I use Baristol Animal oil on the birds themselves. I put it in a spray bottle. The idea is the same as the Vaseline to suffocate them.

I am going to use caulking in the cracks. More long term and less smeary.

 

[fairie]

The chickens are back in their coop tonight. Though seriously confused with the new pain job. I need to move the water as I have just seen the Roosters is positioned perfectly over it. But I like the hanging roosts. No places touching the walls. And it was fun using the flame thrower in the roosts (tgat will happen again)

 

[McChooky]

The easiest way to kill mites in a pallet coop is hook a chain to it & lift it up off the ground then drop in a vat of oil for a month ( don't forget to get your chickens out first)

 

[LaFleche]

The chickens are back in their coop tonight. Though seriously confused with the new pain job. I need to move the water as I have just seen the Roosters is positioned perfectly over it. But I like the hanging roosts. No places touching the walls. And it was fun using the flame thrower in the roosts (tgat will happen again)

How are you doing by now? Have you been able to extinguish the mites for good?

 

[PoleFarm]

I do not have experience with Red mites rather Northern Fowl but I used permethrin on both birds and my coop.

I used concentrate and sprayed an empty coop that had been vaccumed. I soaked everywhere with a focus on cracks between the 6" wall boards. Let it dry, added pine chips, let the flock back in.

I use Sulphur in a dust bag over the pop door and in their dust baths for maintenance.

The comments about vasiline are intriguing as grease in a very dirty environment is counter intuitive.

A dust bag over the pop door is brilliant! Thanks for that tip!

 

[Ted Brown]

A dust bag over the pop door is brilliant! Thanks for that tip!

Farmers do this, on a larger scale of course, for cows and horses. I read that somewhere so not an original idea, I just adapted.

You are welcome!