The chickens seem to be relatively free of red mite all of a sudden - don't
know if there was a cold snap that wiped them out, or what, but I haven't
(touch wood) seen one for over a week, I think ... and even better, we got 5
eggs today, which means one of the bantams has started laying again!
Hurrah. (one of them was very pale looking last week, presumably due to the
mites nibbling on her)

--

wrote in message
...
The chickens seem to be relatively free of red mite all of a sudden -
don't
know if there was a cold snap that wiped them out, or what, but I haven't
(touch wood) seen one for over a week, I think ... and even better, we got
5
eggs today, which means one of the bantams has started laying again!
Hurrah. (one of them was very pale looking last week, presumably due to
the
mites nibbling on her)

--
What are you using against red mite?

Tina

Christina Websell wrote:
What are you using against red mite?

Well, to start with we used the red mite powder (which was vile, and I could
smell it everywhere!). Then Nick steam cleaned the nest box, which got rid
for a while, but then they came back.

Since then there have been peripheral things done - wiping out patches of
them when found, adding extra garlic to their water, etc, but I have nagged
him to steam clean them again, etc, and he hasn't.

It's possible he's been doing something else for them which I've forgotten
or don't know about, but as far as I know, he's not done anything recently
that could have got rid of them, hence assuming it must be the weather.

wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:
What are you using against red mite?

Well, to start with we used the red mite powder (which was vile, and I
could
smell it everywhere!). Then Nick steam cleaned the nest box, which got
rid
for a while, but then they came back.

Since then there have been peripheral things done - wiping out patches of
them when found, adding extra garlic to their water, etc, but I have
nagged
him to steam clean them again, etc, and he hasn't.

It's possible he's been doing something else for them which I've forgotten
or don't know about, but as far as I know, he's not done anything recently
that could have got rid of them, hence assuming it must be the weather.

I have none now because I sprayed 50/50 Dettol solution into every crevice
every week x 6. That did for the little blighters

"Christina Websell" wrote in
:


wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:
What are you using against red mite?

Well, to start with we used the red mite powder (which was vile, and
I could
smell it everywhere!). Then Nick steam cleaned the nest box, which
got rid
for a while, but then they came back.

Since then there have been peripheral things done - wiping out
patches of them when found, adding extra garlic to their water, etc,
but I have nagged
him to steam clean them again, etc, and he hasn't.

It's possible he's been doing something else for them which I've
forgotten or don't know about, but as far as I know, he's not done
anything recently that could have got rid of them, hence assuming it
must be the weather.

I have none now because I sprayed 50/50 Dettol solution into every
crevice every week x 6. That did for the little blighters



We used 20% Dettol(bought a cheaper brand actually) to 80% water once this
year in March and the mite has gone and not returned.
Red mite powder makes me baulk!
We only have 6 chickens all hens(or layers or pullets or whatever yo want
to call them)Rhode Island Red.
(Our resident nym shifter Pete will no doubt be pulling me for my spelling)
They give us at least 4 huge eggs per day so I think they are a fairly
happy brood.
I am told that as the birds get older they give a smaller egg and fewer
too.
Can we use the oldies for the table and get new young ones? Or have I got
the wrong end of the stick.

Baz

"Baz" wrote in message
...

We used 20% Dettol(bought a cheaper brand actually) to 80% water once this
year in March and the mite has gone and not returned.
Red mite powder makes me baulk!
We only have 6 chickens all hens(or layers or pullets or whatever yo want
to call them)Rhode Island Red.
(Our resident nym shifter Pete will no doubt be pulling me for my
spelling)

( au contraire - I detect a marked improvement- pity you will not be able
to see this though)

They give us at least 4 huge eggs per day so I think they are a fairly
happy brood.
I am told that as the birds get older they give a smaller egg and fewer
too.
Can we use the oldies for the table and get new young ones? Or have I got
the wrong end of the stick.

Baz

"Baz" wrote in message
...
"Christina Websell" wrote in

I am told that as the birds get older they give a smaller egg and fewer
too.
Can we use the oldies for the table and get new young ones? Or have I got
the wrong end of the stick.

Well, you can use them for the table but there will be nothing much in the
way of meat on them. Chickens that are bred for eggs and those who are bred
for meat are totally different these days.

Your old hens, if you get fed up with them not laying as much as you want,
can be used to make nice stock for soup.
Myself, I just let them "geriatric around" when they get old, giving me the
occasional egg, but I have room for that without it making a difference
about getting some young ones.

Tina


Baz