- Oct 25, 2014
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I’ve discovered a new technique/strategy in my on-going battle with red mite. It’s rare that I have a good idea so I thought I’d share it.
Smearing grease around the ends of the perches stops the mites from being able to crawl along them to get at the birds. Double sided sticky tape will probably work too.
I’d been using a mix of Diatom and Saniterpen but I was worried that the mites were still getting through because the chickens were reluctant to go inside at night. I didn’t have time to strip everything down and give it a proper clean out but I didn’t want the chickens sleeping outside either so I thought I’d try putting some grease at the ends of the perches as a temporary measure to give them some relief.
The next morning when I went to look there were loads of mites trapped in and next to the grease. Hungry looking ones on one side, and well fed looking ones on the other. Some had obviously got onto the birds via the walls of the coop but they’d got stuck trying to get off again via the perches.
So it didn’t stop the birds from getting bitten completely, but it did reduce the number of mites that got at them. And of all the mites that went out for a feed that night, very few got home again afterwards.
I’ve stripped the coop down and given it a thorough cleanout now. Everything has been covered with the usual mix of powders. This time though I decided to re-apply the grease too hoping that it will make life just a little more difficult for those horrible little crawling things. It will also serve as an early warning system because I’ll see when mites get stuck in it.
Smearing grease around the ends of the perches stops the mites from being able to crawl along them to get at the birds. Double sided sticky tape will probably work too.
I’d been using a mix of Diatom and Saniterpen but I was worried that the mites were still getting through because the chickens were reluctant to go inside at night. I didn’t have time to strip everything down and give it a proper clean out but I didn’t want the chickens sleeping outside either so I thought I’d try putting some grease at the ends of the perches as a temporary measure to give them some relief.
The next morning when I went to look there were loads of mites trapped in and next to the grease. Hungry looking ones on one side, and well fed looking ones on the other. Some had obviously got onto the birds via the walls of the coop but they’d got stuck trying to get off again via the perches.
So it didn’t stop the birds from getting bitten completely, but it did reduce the number of mites that got at them. And of all the mites that went out for a feed that night, very few got home again afterwards.
I’ve stripped the coop down and given it a thorough cleanout now. Everything has been covered with the usual mix of powders. This time though I decided to re-apply the grease too hoping that it will make life just a little more difficult for those horrible little crawling things. It will also serve as an early warning system because I’ll see when mites get stuck in it.
