The dreaded red mites

[lazy gardener]

Evil creatures. I dealt with them in my old coop once. Thankfully, no issues in new coop. I use DL bedding in new coop, dust with permethrin and DE (only using DE b/c I have it, but may save the rest for the garden!) on coop floor, ends of perches, bottom of nest boxes when ever I change out bedding. I'm wondering if the DL bedding is home to predators of red mites. I also use aromatics in coop: Citronella, mint, marigold, lemon balm, creeping charlie.

 

[Ajcoops]

If they can live in this nesting box full of poison you know they're going to be hard to get rid of. Make sure you get a pesticide from your local farmers warehouse and do repeat sprays in coop and area around coop too. My pest controller said not to put chickens in for a day or so after you give it a blast. When you put the birds back in dust them and make sure they don't bring anymore mites back into coop. Repeat if necessary. Hope that helps. I've been going crazy trying to clean this last week.

 

[Ajcoops]

Thanks lazy gardener. I'll try the aromatics as well.

 

[acadian97]

Red mites can infest your home and they can survive
on human hosts. Become informed and spare your family
an awful infestation of red mites.

Check out the book
The Year of the Mite by Jane Ishka
This website is chock full of advice on how to rid your home and coop
from Red Mites:

http://www.yearofthemite.com

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4289507/