My enthusiasm for poultry has become this great burden......

ChicoryFarm wrote:

After that treatment, two months later, I realized I still had them so then resorted to Dusting Powder with 5% carbaryl and applied it to their vent area and dusted the roosts with it. After two applications, I saw some results but not for long. Six weeks later, their back with a vengeance and I lose one rooster who struggled all along. At that point, I proceed to cull the

Sounds like they didn't like that powder and just went dormant to wait it out. hmmmm

I've seen mention of steam cleaning too. That would give you the heat treatment without the risk of fire.

How big are the coops? If they were small enough, I wonder if you could cover them and get the temperature up around 50 C.

Pity you've just missed winter. Looks like some good cold weather would clean them up for you, if you could move the birds elsewhere for a while.

Extreme temperatures e.g.
>45° C and -20° C are lethal and survival is best
at higher relative humidities e.g. 70%.

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Fowler wrote:

ChicoryFarm wrote:

After that treatment, two months later, I realized I still had them so then resorted to Dusting Powder with 5% carbaryl and applied it to their vent area and dusted the roosts with it. After two applications, I saw some results but not for long. Six weeks later, their back with a vengeance and I lose one rooster who struggled all along. At that point, I proceed to cull the

Sounds like they didn't like that powder and just went dormant to wait it out. hmmmm

I've seen mention of steam cleaning too. That would give you the heat treatment without the risk of fire.

How big are the coops? If they were small enough, I wonder if you could cover them and get the temperature up around 50 C.

Pity you've just missed winter. Looks like some good cold weather would clean them up for you, if you could move the birds elsewhere for a while.

Extreme temperatures e.g.
>45° C and -20° C are lethal and survival is best
at higher relative humidities e.g. 70%.

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Hey Fowler, I read about the steam cleaner too but a torch is more readily available and given it is still damp and cool here I'm hoping it will be okay. So much for my paint job on the inside.....I'll probably only torch once or twice.

My coops are 9x6, 8x10, 8x24 and 8x12......man, I lost my mind last year it appears. The first one is not occupied but had infested birds in it, so I need to treat it too. So cover the coops with what that doesn't cost a fortune, and smoke those you-know-what's out?

Yup, apparently these spawn's of Satan thrive more so in the Spring/Summer.

Been reading about checking for them using glue traps with 'bait'. Looks like they are attracted the certain levels of carbon dioxide, heat, and aged feathers (rather, the odour bacteria are giving off on aged feathers).

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I pmd you again

Must read

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I am so sorry to hear of your struggle with these red devils Chicory.

I can't believe you have red mites that are staying on the host. Weird.

My first experience with the happened after I have been into chooks for a while, but was new to purebreds. On the property we were using old buildings for my coops and they were built out of tin and wood. The wild birds had total access to most areas, which I eventually got a handle on.

I didn't know anything about them and I had a broody doing a great job with chicks. Then the chicks started to die. I was devastated! When I found the third dead chick I had a good look at it and it was covered in red mites. It had been sucked to death. I felt so guilty and naive. I ended up spraying the chick with lice and tick spray and it saved them. I thought I may poison the poor little things.

Then the research began. I found out what they were and I started the whole routine. Powder, sprays, striping and cleaning everything. I was so obsessed that I used to go out at night with a flashlight squish the little bastards on the birds, walls, perches. Gross I know, but I got some satisfaction out of it.

I learned to look for the silvery residue that showed where they were spending their nights. I would stick things in and squish as many as I could and then spray. Eventually I got on top if them, and I learned to live with them a little. I never completely got rid of them I don't think, but I wouldn't see them on the birds at night any more and I only was really vigilant just before I had a broody hatch chicks so I didn't have to go through what I went through when I first found them.

You will feel overwhelmed, but you can do this. Look how many of us have been there before you!! You are not alone, we all go through stuff like this. I think anyone that hasn't been through crawlies of some sort aren't looking for them hard enough. You have chickens, you have crawlies I think. It is all about managing them.

Come and vent any time you need to. We will be supportive, but also tell you when you are being silly!!

pops coops wrote:Must read

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Yep, ectiban for surely. This product is more readily available than what was suggested to you Chicory. I got my bottle from Surecrop in Grindrod. They have an entire room devoted to the many chemicals that are used in the farming industry, from cattle to poultry. Jonkman is a good place to get stuff too, they are in Abbotsford (maybe Clearbrook is the actual area), they have lots of stuff there. You will get this under control ChicoryFarm and we are all learning too, time to get on control of bugs!! Have a great day, CynthiaM.