The Poultry Keeper

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2074 Location: North Cornwall

For anyone who is lucky enough not to have seen them, these are red mites. Sad

But what about the others, the tiny tiny white ones. They are mites also because i've looked through a magnifing glass at them. Are they just an earlier stage of red mite? They are different from the grey red mites which are the ones that haven't fed. These, at this stage anyway, are not blood suckers or they would be red. Do they grow up to be red mites? The other thing I've noticed is that they dont cluster like red mites do.
The top pic is the underside of a perch and you can just see a few of the tiny white mites.
The bottom pic is of a crack in the side of the nest box and there are LOTS.
Anyone else noticed them?

Welsh Duck · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:32 pm Post subject:

I think they are red mite also. I always thought the white was the dust/extract that they create.

Where do you think that they come from? Is it from bought in birds or wild birds. Confused

Is the white, the eggs of new mites developing?

CP · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject:

I thought the 'dust' was their poo and/or their eggs? Confused

Definitely red mite in the first pic though. Twisted Evil

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2074 Location: North Cornwall

So if you also have the white ones I would think they must be a early stage of Red Mite. I also thought it was dust or shed skins as the red mites grew, but no, each tiny dot is a proper little crawling mite Evil or Very Mad

and they are the devil to kill. I blow torched this lot and sprayed with a mite killer and still they live Evil or Very Mad

I dont know how we get them in the first place Welsh Duck, people say perhaps from wild birds, but they are supposed to live in cracks not on the birds Rolling Eyes

Bhindi · Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:53 pm Post subject:

I know im really tempting fate here, but after almost 4 years Ive yet to get it in my coop. Every day after ive wiped the roosts down (if they need it), I then wipe it down with neat white vinegar. I pray, that Its the vinegar thats doing it, otherwise Im sure im in for the big shock oneday!!..

I used vinegar to keep fleas of my dogs and cats, so I figured it would repel the red mite too, and I know in days gone by it was used to treat head lice... so for now thats all the prevention i do. I would love to know if anyone else does the same .. but i think im the only crank here!! Laughing

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2074 Location: North Cornwall

Bhindi, I am going to try that today. I'm doing 1 house at a time, cleaning top to bottom, srubbed out with poultry shield. Then I'll wipe down with white vinegar like you do, and put vasaline on the perch ends. Thanks

Bhindi · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:33 pm Post subject:

Now that will be quite an experiment, seeing as you've had them in your coops. I look forward to the results... (or not as the case may be)

Sue B · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 362 Location: Lincolnshire

Thanks for the photo I thought they were just red if you squashed them........am I wrong?
I am certainly going to try the vinegar thing. I don't do much at the moment and I've been lucky so far.

Auntie Noo · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 496 Location: Guildford

I think they must be an earlier stage of red-mite - I got them a few weeks ago, must have been really lucky 'cos there weren't actually any red ones..... I thought they only were red at night... so treated them as redmite. but they covered the floor of the house and were really difficult to get rid of - thank goodness for blowtorches! - I itched for days! Luckily hens had no adverse effects , but i'm still 100% sure they were redmite.

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2074 Location: North Cornwall

Well, looking at a few sites for info, the tiny white ones are the early stage of the red. They have two stages when they dont eat after they hatch, before they have a feed of blood and turn red. They can then lay their eggs Evil or Very Mad

I dismantled the nest boxes in one house yesterday and they were thick as thick can be, but more white and grey ones than red. Oh, the grey ones are red mite with a part digested meal in them.

I also read that they do stay on the birds so I'll have to look into getting something to put on them.

All this stuff costs a fortune but what else can we do Evil or Very Mad

Edited to add, I have them crawling over me as well. It doesn't matter how many baths and hair washes I have I cant get rid Rolling Eyes

Also done a rinse down with vinegar and water Laughing

but can still feel them. Any ideas anyone Sad

jaydee67 · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:32 pm Post subject:

blowtorch?

I'll get me coat!

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2074 Location: North Cornwall

Ooch

Someone on another forum has suggested dog flea shampoo which sounds worth a try. Im going to try the supermarkets tomorrow for some.

He says its good for head lice, so if i happen to get them as well I'll have it handy Laughing

poultry poofs · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:09 pm Post subject:

diatom powder is harmless to chooks and can be dusted in the bedding and in worse infestations in the feathers. Most mites tend to leave the birds after night-time. Camrosa grease on the perches works well against them.
Cold start is excellent for instantly nobbling large clusters of them before they escape but dont breath the fumes in a confined space Laughing

yes I have tried everything Laughing

You just cant beat proper creosote. Sad

huge infestations can turn birds anaemic in a very short time and make them susceptible to illness and sudden death.Not a pest to turn a blind eye to.

By the way the worst clothing to wear if you are cleaning mites out is woolly jumpers or fluffy fleeces,they will be crawling out of your clothes for hours. Confused

Auntie Noo · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 496 Location: Guildford

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2074 Location: North Cornwall

Think I've traced the mites that i'm lousey with to the free half ton of sweepings i was given at the feed mill Evil or Very Mad