The Poultry Keeper

tracey061196 · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 7:56 am Post subject:

Well this morning there dosent seem to be as many (but they are still there).

Indorex Spray i sprayed all over the perches, on the top of them underneath and inside the nest boxes. I have put aload of red mite powder all over the perches (they are wooden and ended up looking white/grey from the powder) and i put the powder in the nest boxes and along the edges of the base of the house.

I have ordered on the net some Duramitex so i will give that ago.

The frontline i have only ever had the drops didnt know you could get the spray. I emptied some pipettes into a plastic pot and tipped a small spoon into the pot and put a dab under each birds wing.

debbieduck · Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 51 Location: South Yorkshire

Are these the same red mites that crawl about on concrete and such? really tiny and a nice bright red? In my hen house I have some tiny black flie type things that jump around a bit - but they dont seem to be too much of a nusience and have been fairly easy to shift.

jaydee67 · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:29 pm Post subject:

drops - frontline combo for cats - 1 drop under each wing. Egg withdrawal period of at least a week when using this.

Scoop · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 46 Location: Somerset

It's so comforting to know I'm not the only one battling with the blighters! I've used powder, Indorex and Frontline and they're still on the loose. It is so frustrating! To top it all I'm now worried I've got Northern Fowl Mite as well, as the rear end feathers on some of the chooks are looking very frayed and the skin is quite red underneath. Will Frontline sort NFM out as well?? Aarrggh.

MaisytheDobe · Joined: 08 Dec 2007 Posts: 65

When I had red mite I sprayed thoughly the house every day for a fortnight to break the cycle. Then I continued through out the winter on a weekly basis. It seems to have worked, (mind you after reading this thread I' ll just go out and check Laughing

Scoop · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 46 Location: Somerset

This forum is fab for help and advice - just bought some Eprinex for the girls . . . and sounds like I'll be spraying the house on a weekly basis from here on in! Great to see posts from folk in Shetland, too. Used to live there many years ago and still miss the place!

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 440 Location: Shetland

Eprinex was completely useless for us when we had a bad outbreak of red mite and northern fowl. Simply didn't impact on them at all.

Handy hint for any of the topical applications (i.e. frontline, ivomectin, eprinex etc) - rather than a drop under the wings, it's easier to pulls some feathers back to expose bare skin between the 'shoulders'. It matters not a jot where on the bird the stuff is applied, as it is absorbed and then becomes systemic. Doing it on the back is a lot less stressful for the bird than messing around lifting wings etc.

Attila

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 440 Location: Shetland

Scoop · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 46 Location: Somerset

Er, if I keep treating my hens with Eprinex or Frontline etc, will the mites in the house eventually die out anyway?? I'm spraying it weekly at the moment to be on the safe side, but surely if the mites feed on a treated hen, they'll all pop their clogs eventually anyway . . . won't they?????

jaydee67 · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 6:14 pm Post subject:

If you continually treat with either Eprinex or frontline you will never get any edible eggs as eggs have to be dumped after treatment, also using it on hens is off-license use and don't know what the long term effects may be. The mites you have should pop their clogs - but there are more out there waiting to get in! Wink

Scoop · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 46 Location: Somerset

I knew it would be too good to be true! Thanks for being so sensible! Embarassed

Elly · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 332 Location: Norfolk

We have loads of trees and bushes in the chikens free roam area and the loca birds are always visiting to nick the feed. Saying that we have not had red mite (YET). Smile

We wash coop, nest boxes etc weekly with dettol solution and allow the area to dry. Once dry its a good dusting with a barrier powder, with powder also going in the hemicore and dust bath.

We did get lice from the local pheasants which we treated with a couple of squirts of frontline spray on each brid. They were gone by next morning, but it did mean throwing away the eggs for a week. However, its not something I would want to use regulary.

I certainly would not use creosote; its illegal for the general public to use and even proffessionals are not legally alowed to use it inside buildings, in areas with regular human contact and several other places. It is highly toxic to waterlife and cats, as well as not being too good for us humans. Sad

It would be interesting to find out what type of housing, number of birds kept, bedding used etc where people have suffered from redmite and see if there are any links Question

Keep smilin
Elly

Woodburner · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 9:49 am Post subject:

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 440 Location: Shetland