[Womble]

 
Does anybody know how long they can live in the coop if you remove the hens to another location?  Just a thought.

[bloomer]

i read it was a year or more!!!

[katie]

I also heard that you can have red mite in Eglus - and they're SO expensive ....and plastic!

[Mammyshaz]

I've checked and checked my two coops and haven't seen anything other than two tiny red insects on the clear plastic covering the roof.

Did pressure hose both coops two weeks ago and liberally prayed with poultry shield afterwards. Powdered with diatom and biodry.
Could anybody give my some idea how big these dreaded critters aremso I know what I'm looking out for? Seen piccies on google but the size is difficult to assess.

[in the hills]

"pin prick" as opposed to "pin head", I think is a fair description.


Bright red when fed but greyish otherwise.

[Mammyshaz]

Hmmm, wonder if the ones on the clear plastic were them     but didn't think they liked light   
Think I'll need a magnifier tomorrow for a closer examine.

[Greenerlife]

I asked at the Domestic fowl trust about Eglus and they said that Eglus still have red mite infestations from time to time    at the time this put me off of buying one but in hindsight I'm wondering if anyone has ever actually experienced redmite in plastic?

I think you could get it in the wooden slatted area of the eglu where the hens are supposed to perch to sleep - mine all get into the nice cosy egg laying area!     The great thing about Eglu's are that you can take a pressure hose to them so easily.  Couldn't believe what a bargain I got with mine - thought I was getting one of the little ones, and when the people selling it turned up - it was one of the big ones complete with a little run!  Despite it being plastic and a horrid colour (tempered by hanging a camouflage net across it) I totally love it.

[chrismahon]

They feed on each other, so they can be active a year after the chickens have gone.


Even plastic coops have little gaps they can hide in, but not many. Whereas in wooden coops they can hide in every joint. You can steam clean or jet wash a plastic coop and put the hens back same night.


I know someone who discovered they had red mite in the coops when they discovered them in their settee. Sat watching the TV at night and got bitten. The settee was torched.

[in the hills]

    ...... that's freaked me out.

[ellied]

Am I the only one reading this who now feels itchy? 

[taz08]

  not had any

[happygolucky]

Am I the only one reading this who now feels itchy? 

I have just been to clean out and talc the shed and now am soooooo itchy its unbelievable, I have also just done my hair nicer than normal and now it resembles a birds nest

[Fanackapan]

We decided after 6 months into hen keeping to ditch the wooden hen house. Our big hens live in a 6 x 4 plastic BQ shed bought on offer and easily converted to purpose ( one wall has a window , which if you install upside down becomes a pop hole with a bit of imagination to cover the hole. Already vented on two sides, only problem is a bit of condensation in the winter but a battery run expelair thing help with that. The silkies live in a converted plastic garden storage seat .
No red mite problem in 3 years , both are so easy to clean, even in the winter, especially the shed .
Red mite can be in plastic houses but are easily eradicated on the smooth surfaces.

[Womble]

Could anybody give my some idea how big these dreaded critters aremso I know what I'm looking out for?

Think "moving dandruff", and you won't go far wrong - UGH!!!

[Mammyshaz]

I'm driving myself and OH stir crazy searching for them but cannot find anything. I don't believe the coops are mite free if everyone else is having such a hard time with the critters 

Just going to continue spraying with poultry shield and powdering chooks and coop with diatom.