One very small egg, the same size as the bantams normally lay, but much much
darker. I'm guessing it's from the nera, as it's not speckled, and I think
speckledy Mo should be laying speckled eggs. I presume they will get
progressively larger as she gets established.

Oddly, bluebell seems to be laying slightly speckley eggs atm, although Nick
thinks it's to do with the grit she's eating, and nothing to worry about. I
need to try not to think too much about the relationship between what a
chicken eats and the eggs we get, it makes me feel slightly less
egg-friendly at times. :-/

--

wrote:

One very small egg, the same size as the bantams normally lay, but
much much darker. I'm guessing it's from the nera, as it's not
speckled, and I think speckledy Mo should be laying speckled eggs. I
presume they will get progressively larger as she gets established.


Congrats, its great when they do this, we've had 3 hens in our eglu for
about 3-4 months now and they are great, they're 9 months old and
laying lovely and ones a bova nera, (dark brown egg, occasionally there
are speckles on it too)

Oddly, bluebell seems to be laying slightly speckley eggs atm,
although Nick thinks it's to do with the grit she's eating, and
nothing to worry about. I need to try not to think too much about
the relationship between what a chicken eats and the eggs we get, it
makes me feel slightly less egg-friendly at times. :-/

Good advice LOL, in fact what's worse than this is when you're Golden
Retriever is being friendly and licks your face after just coming in
from the garden, and you notice that the chicken poo you were going to
clean up a minute ago has dissappeared!!
--
Donnie

Donnie wrote:
Congrats, its great when they do this, we've had 3 hens in our eglu for
about 3-4 months now and they are great, they're 9 months old and
laying lovely and ones a bova nera, (dark brown egg, occasionally there
are speckles on it too)

Although on the slight down side, Nick has just found an infestation of red
spider mite thingies, and has nipped out to see what he can do with them.
Don't know if they came in with the 2 new birds, or if they were already
there (or if they've come in from the wild since the new ones).

Good advice LOL, in fact what's worse than this is when you're Golden
Retriever is being friendly and licks your face after just coming in
from the garden, and you notice that the chicken poo you were going to
clean up a minute ago has dissappeared!!

Eyww. Although actually, having seen what dogs lick most of the time ...

On Sun, 8 Aug 2010 00:54:06 +0100, wrote
(in article ):

Donnie wrote:
Congrats, its great when they do this, we've had 3 hens in our eglu for
about 3-4 months now and they are great, they're 9 months old and
laying lovely and ones a bova nera, (dark brown egg, occasionally there
are speckles on it too)

Although on the slight down side, Nick has just found an infestation of red
spider mite thingies, and has nipped out to see what he can do with them.
Don't know if they came in with the 2 new birds, or if they were already
there (or if they've come in from the wild since the new ones).


Steam clean, Poultry Shield, Diatom. Then have a shower:-) Repeat
frequently. It's a bad year for them.

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Posted through uk.rec.gardening

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
Although on the slight down side, Nick has just found an infestation
of red
spider mite thingies, and has nipped out to see what he can do with them.
Don't know if they came in with the 2 new birds, or if they were already
there (or if they've come in from the wild since the new ones).

You'll need to dust the hens with an appropriate insecticide
(especially in the "armpits" under their wings)

~That is pointless against red mite. They hide in the crevices of your
henhouse, come out overnight to feast on hens and are back before you are
up.

and the henhouse
(especially cracks, nooks and crannies like the ends of perches).

Yes, that is where they hide.

for a couple of days after dusting you should discard the eggs.

Dusting will not get rid of red mite so you can ignore this advice.


Whenever you introduce new birds it's always worth inspecting for
mites/lice and dusting them,to avoid infecting a clean flock.


I agree. Red mite is a different thing, though. Most hen keepers will get
red mite in the summer hiding in the crevices. They do not like phenol
though. I'm successful at the moment by using 50% Dettol in a spray bottle
into those crevices. It needs to be done 3 times at weekly intervals to
interfere with their breeding process.
Red mites cannot survive that. Or so I've found.

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
Although on the slight down side, Nick has just found an infestation
of red
spider mite thingies, and has nipped out to see what he can do with them.
Don't know if they came in with the 2 new birds, or if they were already
there (or if they've come in from the wild since the new ones).

You'll need to dust the hens with an appropriate insecticide
(especially in the "armpits" under their wings) and the henhouse
(especially cracks, nooks and crannies like the ends of perches). IIRC ,
for a couple of days after dusting you should discard the eggs.

Whenever you introduce new birds it's always worth inspecting for
mites/lice and dusting them,to avoid infecting a clean flock.


How many chickens do you have?

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
Although on the slight down side, Nick has just found an infestation
of red
spider mite thingies, and has nipped out to see what he can do with
them.
Don't know if they came in with the 2 new birds, or if they were
already
there (or if they've come in from the wild since the new ones).

You'll need to dust the hens with an appropriate insecticide
(especially in the "armpits" under their wings) and the henhouse
(especially cracks, nooks and crannies like the ends of perches). IIRC
,
for a couple of days after dusting you should discard the eggs.

Whenever you introduce new birds it's always worth inspecting for
mites/lice and dusting them,to avoid infecting a clean flock.


How many chickens do you have?

None now. I kept chickens (and other poultry) for close on 20 years
before we moved here.

You are now well out of date for advice then.

Christina Websell wrote:
You'll need to dust the hens with an appropriate insecticide
(especially in the "armpits" under their wings)
~That is pointless against red mite. They hide in the crevices of your
henhouse, come out overnight to feast on hens and are back before you are
up.

Nick actually noticed during the middle of the night, and spent an hour in
darkness dusting everything in sight. The garden stinks, the red mite dust
powdery stuff is incredibly sickly smelling!

for a couple of days after dusting you should discard the eggs.
Dusting will not get rid of red mite so you can ignore this advice.

But now they're dusted, presumably we should follow it? I'll get Nick to
check what the bottle says. It would be a shame to lose the first 2 eggs of
the new chicken. :-(

Whenever you introduce new birds it's always worth inspecting for
mites/lice and dusting them,to avoid infecting a clean flock.
I agree. Red mite is a different thing, though. Most hen keepers will get
red mite in the summer hiding in the crevices. They do not like phenol
though. I'm successful at the moment by using 50% Dettol in a spray bottle
into those crevices. It needs to be done 3 times at weekly intervals to
interfere with their breeding process.
Red mites cannot survive that. Or so I've found.

Sounds good. Nick wants to take the whole thing apart and disinfect it and
re-roof it, so if he can do that later this week then give them anotehr go a
week or so later, that timetable works quite well for me!

Janet wrote:
Here you are, Vicky; scroll down to read the instructions and for
the smaller size.

http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/acata..._mite_Powder_5
_Kg.html

Ta. Will pass it on to Nick - when there is a problem they are very
definitely /his/ chickens! - although he did buy something already today,
presumably something similar.

Vicki, I had a massive infestation of red mite last summer - and I do mean
MASSIVE. In the heat of summer the numbers seemed to explode between one
visit to the hen house and the next one.

Due to a fox attack, I was down on hen numbers and only had to treat a
couple of hens, but in response to the mite infestation those poor girls
abandoned both houses and were trying to sleep outside in thier night yard
on a perch I'd put there so they could sun themselves.

I went into the main house and felt all these things crawling on me - they
were falling from the rafters and I also had them on my trouser legs. Yes,
they are supposed to be nocturnal but that didn't stop the nasty blighters
getting on my during a hot sunny morning. I thought they were baby spiders
but they weren't. Talk about a case of the screaming creeps! I walked
straight into the shower fully clothed (and wearing my watch) and stripped
under the running water.

But to the hens and what I did there - I don't like using chemicals anywhere
on this farm but after extensive reading on the subject in my poultry books
and magazines, I did the following:
1) dismantled second house entirely - still not replaced but will be.
2) raked out both yards and then swept bare earth with a broom - all
sweepings went to tip - did not compost any of it.
3) borrowed coop and put this in the day yard (which is about a quarter of
an acre so I could put the coop a long way from the old house) then took
hens out of night yard/night house at night and treated them using the light
from a torch with Pestene Powder (active ingredients Suplhur 50g/kg and
Rotenone 10g/kg). I'd also treated the hay in the nest of this coop with
the same powder and added fire ash in a big tub so they could dust bath and
added the Pestene Powder to that too. (Sally mentioned diatomaceous earth
and the ash acts like that, but for diatomaceous earth to be effective, it
has to be very fine and here it costs a small fortuen to buy - ash seems to
work). The hens went from looking miserable to looking good.
4) Blasted the remaining hen house with a pressure washer and left it to dry
for a couple of days.
5) Sprayed hen house (nooks, crannies, roof (inside and out), perches and
floor) with Malaban Wash (active ingredient Maldison at 200g/L). Sprayed
once then left for recommended period and repeated spray. Left hens out in
day yard overnighting in their coop for a few weeks.

It worked, but it took a lot of effort and was a stinking rotten, filthy
job. Better a bit of effort than my poor hens looking miserable and me
feeling that crawling on the skin.

FarmI ask@itshall be given wrote:
Vicki, I had a massive infestation of red mite last summer - and I do mean
MASSIVE. In the heat of summer the numbers seemed to explode between one

(big snip)

Thank you. I'll forward it all on to Nick and he can work out what he wants
to do. I know what you mean about the crawlies. I've only seen one or two
of them, and I'm itching all over!

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
Although on the slight down side, Nick has just found an infestation
of red
spider mite thingies, and has nipped out to see what he can do with
them.
Don't know if they came in with the 2 new birds, or if they were
already
there (or if they've come in from the wild since the new ones).

You'll need to dust the hens with an appropriate insecticide
(especially in the "armpits" under their wings)

~That is pointless against red mite. They hide in the crevices of your
henhouse, come out overnight to feast on hens and are back before you are
up.

When the mites come out at night,to bite the roosting chicken that has
been dusted, the mites will die. That was the advice of our vet

That has not been my experience. Redmites need serious insecticide

Christina Websell wrote:
When the mites come out at night,to bite the roosting chicken that has
been dusted, the mites will die. That was the advice of our vet
That has not been my experience. Redmites need serious insecticide

Well, Nick has dusted them and neem oiled them (my were the chickens unhappy
with that!) and we took the torch out to see what was going on.
As far as we can tell, there is definitely a cut in numbers, and there are a
lot of dead looking ones. But they are by no means gone.

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
...
Vicki, I had a massive infestation of red mite last summer - and I do mean
MASSIVE. In the heat of summer the numbers seemed to explode between one
visit to the hen house and the next one.

Due to a fox attack, I was down on hen numbers and only had to treat a
couple of hens, but in response to the mite infestation those poor girls
abandoned both houses and were trying to sleep outside in thier night yard
on a perch I'd put there so they could sun themselves.

I went into the main house and felt all these things crawling on me - they
were falling from the rafters and I also had them on my trouser legs.
Yes, they are supposed to be nocturnal but that didn't stop the nasty
blighters getting on my during a hot sunny morning. I thought they were
baby spiders but they weren't. Talk about a case of the screaming creeps!
I walked straight into the shower fully clothed (and wearing my watch) and
stripped under the running water.

But to the hens and what I did there - I don't like using chemicals
anywhere on this farm but after extensive reading on the subject in my
poultry books and magazines, I did the following:
1) dismantled second house entirely - still not replaced but will be.
2) raked out both yards and then swept bare earth with a broom - all
sweepings went to tip - did not compost any of it.
3) borrowed coop and put this in the day yard (which is about a quarter of
an acre so I could put the coop a long way from the old house) then took
hens out of night yard/night house at night and treated them using the
light from a torch with Pestene Powder (active ingredients Suplhur 50g/kg
and Rotenone 10g/kg). I'd also treated the hay in the nest of this coop
with the same powder and added fire ash in a big tub so they could dust
bath and added the Pestene Powder to that too. (Sally mentioned
diatomaceous earth and the ash acts like that, but for diatomaceous earth
to be effective, it has to be very fine and here it costs a small fortuen
to buy - ash seems to work). The hens went from looking miserable to
looking good.
4) Blasted the remaining hen house with a pressure washer and left it to
dry for a couple of days.
5) Sprayed hen house (nooks, crannies, roof (inside and out), perches and
floor) with Malaban Wash (active ingredient Maldison at 200g/L). Sprayed
once then left for recommended period and repeated spray. Left hens out
in day yard overnighting in their coop for a few weeks.

It worked, but it took a lot of effort and was a stinking rotten, filthy
job. Better a bit of effort than my poor hens looking miserable and me
feeling that crawling on the skin.

Overkill.

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
...
Vicki, I had a massive infestation of red mite last summer - and I do
mean MASSIVE. In the heat of summer the numbers seemed to explode
between one visit to the hen house and the next one.

Due to a fox attack, I was down on hen numbers and only had to treat a
couple of hens, but in response to the mite infestation those poor girls
abandoned both houses and were trying to sleep outside in thier night
yard on a perch I'd put there so they could sun themselves.

I went into the main house and felt all these things crawling on me -
they were falling from the rafters and I also had them on my trouser
legs. Yes, they are supposed to be nocturnal but that didn't stop the
nasty blighters getting on my during a hot sunny morning. I thought they
were baby spiders but they weren't. Talk about a case of the screaming
creeps! I walked straight into the shower fully clothed (and wearing my
watch) and stripped under the running water.

But to the hens and what I did there - I don't like using chemicals
anywhere on this farm but after extensive reading on the subject in my
poultry books and magazines, I did the following:
1) dismantled second house entirely - still not replaced but will be.
2) raked out both yards and then swept bare earth with a broom - all
sweepings went to tip - did not compost any of it.
3) borrowed coop and put this in the day yard (which is about a quarter
of an acre so I could put the coop a long way from the old house) then
took hens out of night yard/night house at night and treated them using
the light from a torch with Pestene Powder (active ingredients Suplhur
50g/kg and Rotenone 10g/kg). I'd also treated the hay in the nest of
this coop with the same powder and added fire ash in a big tub so they
could dust bath and added the Pestene Powder to that too. (Sally
mentioned diatomaceous earth and the ash acts like that, but for
diatomaceous earth to be effective, it has to be very fine and here it
costs a small fortuen to buy - ash seems to work). The hens went from
looking miserable to looking good.
4) Blasted the remaining hen house with a pressure washer and left it to
dry for a couple of days.
5) Sprayed hen house (nooks, crannies, roof (inside and out), perches and
floor) with Malaban Wash (active ingredient Maldison at 200g/L). Sprayed
once then left for recommended period and repeated spray. Left hens out
in day yard overnighting in their coop for a few weeks.

It worked, but it took a lot of effort and was a stinking rotten, filthy
job. Better a bit of effort than my poor hens looking miserable and me
feeling that crawling on the skin.

Overkill.

You wouldn't say that if you'd ever had a serious Red mite infestation.