Comments on Techno-Billies: There's always a downside - cautionary tale

Unfortunately the problem doesn't necessarily ...

2010-08-23T18:02:02.146+01:00

Unfortunately the problem doesn't necessarily go away as the mites are thought to be spread by wild birds and can attack your girls in the garden as well. I hope not though as I personally hate the thought of loosing my hens to something like that.

I have a wooden hen house which I know is likely to attract mites but I check regularly and have some powder on standby just in case.

I do however have one fantastic tip to pass on. The mites tend to get onto the chickens in the roost at night by crawling along the roost bars and up their legs. The simple step of wrapping double sided sticky tape around the end of the bars does two things. It prevents the mites from being able to get across as they stick to it and secondly if there are mites stuck to it you have a really clear sign that there is a problem.

I use 2 inch wide double sided carpet tape as it is very sticky and very wide. I check it once a week to make sure so hopefully there's no chance of a major infection. I also pick up my hens every day and have a quick look. They are seldon happy about it though!

I feel your pain though.

Hi, I've come here via Marmalade Kiss and read...

2009-07-20T14:36:06.871+01:00

Hi, I've come here via Marmalade Kiss and read your post about red mite with horror! Off to check my girls now... I never realised it could be so bad. I'm definitely a technobillie by the way... good to have found you! Gina x

Thank you Quinn.. I would think that diatomaceous ...

2009-07-05T18:35:56.855+01:00

Thank you Quinn.. I would think that diatomaceous earth would be pretty much the same thing! Shall have to watch out for it...

mmm... dont know which bars I am getting... will sort it out tomorrow when I collect it. Very excited... hennies are settled in a dog cage every night at the moment and during the day running amok in my garden... thanks for the tips... will let you all know how it turns out.

hi Billie Jane, first visit-Ive arrived here via R...

2009-07-04T11:13:53.809+01:00

hi Billie Jane, first visit-Ive arrived here via Robyn. So sorry to read of the loss of your hen, i lost my white hen a few weeks ago, and it sucks, I cried too. She died of old age though, which is easier to come to terms with than illness.

To hopefully makes you feel better, eglu's are fab. I am on my third!! :-) well worth the investment really, although i think the mark2 is still better than the big cube _ (i have both) Is yours coming with wooden bars or plastic ones? if it has wooden ones, upgrade to plastic, as redmites could hide in the joints of the wooden bars. Ive only had redmites once-
and that was in a wooden ark, never in any of my 3 eglus. hope that helps!

Leanne x

Would food-grade diatomaceous earth help? It'...

2009-07-03T20:01:26.465+01:00

Would food-grade diatomaceous earth help? It's supposed to be safe even taken internally, but used as a dust will (also supposedly) get through the "shell" on vermin...
hope your problem is solved - very sorry about the loss of your chooks!!

Now you tell me Meanqueen... after I already spent...

2009-07-03T20:01:11.711+01:00

Now you tell me Meanqueen... after I already spent the dosh on a very expensive plastic hen house and run! lol! Oh well... it should last me forever and wont need anything more than a regular clean!

Oh dear, what a terrible time you have had, how aw...

2009-07-03T17:32:01.343+01:00

Oh dear, what a terrible time you have had, how awfull. I read a lot about red mites on the downthelane.net forum, sorry I don't mean to plug it but it is very useful for info. Some have said that if you have a plastic hen house you won't get mites. You can use one of those wheelie bin sheds, or a plastic wendy house.

Good greif!! Better go and check Eggy and Peggy r...

2009-07-03T14:02:40.800+01:00

Good greif!! Better go and check Eggy and Peggy right now! x

Hi Sara... it doesn't say exactly what is in i...

2009-07-03T13:44:19.262+01:00

Hi Sara... it doesn't say exactly what is in it ... apart from tea tree oil and lavandin oil... but the lady on the phone said it is natural and wont cause any problems... this is why I think it was so hard to kill the little blighters... not heard of permethrin but was interested in this stuff... http://www.worldwidepoultry.co.uk/diatoms.php I shall have to get some for a regular dust bath for them.

Good grief! What a great big mess, sounds like you...

2009-07-03T12:37:39.915+01:00

Good grief! What a great big mess, sounds like you handled it with the sturdiness of a true farmer! What's in that powder, anyway? I always try to avoid the harsh chemicals, but keep a bag of permethrin dust socked away for emergencies-it is fiercely strong, but breaks down in the environment in five days, so I am told.

Thank you Miss *R.. hugs are always welcome :-).

2009-07-03T12:18:54.923+01:00

Thank you Miss *R.. hugs are always welcome :-).

I hate it when my hens get sick and die.. we have ...

2009-07-03T11:30:11.151+01:00

I hate it when my hens get sick and die.. we have that happen a few times.. but I don't think it was from mites.. I will be extra vigilant this coming spring to give the hen house a big cleanout...

nothing I can say really so I will give you big cyber hugs xoxo