|
Author
|
Hens and mites | (Read 711 times) |
|
Alison Freeth-Thomas "heninfrance"
Administrator
Posts: 196
Central France
|
 |
July 31, 2009, 02:27:03 AM |
|
Before getting our chooks I read a fair bit and many places said that they needed to be dusted with mite powder almost constantly. I wasn't keen on this idea as chemical dusting an animal 'just because' doesn't seem right to me. But how do you know if the chooks DO have mites? Where do the mites come from? And is there another solution for preventing or getting rid of mites that is not chemical?
Plus what about worms? Read about that too but not done anything. How do I know if they've got them? Same questions as above really.
How do folk get organic eggs when all these treatments are 'de rigeur' so to speak?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
Milkwood Nick
Posts: 10
|
|
August 08, 2009, 07:42:22 AM |
|
I'm currently treating some rescued hens that have leg mites by spraying their legs with canola/rapeseed cooking spray... very easy to apply, suffocates the mites and is completely non toxic.
I find the feather lice to be very dependent on humidity... when it's dry their dust bathing seems to keep the lice away.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
alyssa
Posts: 9
|
|
September 02, 2009, 07:06:21 AM |
|
Vaseline (or similar, thick creamy waterproof mix, like beeswax & oil cream) is supposed to suffocate leg mites. Apparently red mites live in the housing, especially theroof & so you need to blast this at the same time as treating. Diatomaceous earth powder is a natural way to treat for mites. Several brands available, try ebay! You know if they have mights because they peck/scratch each other orgo broody, then give up after a few days.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Joel Hollingsworth
Posts: 1623
zone 10: Oakland, CA
|
|
September 02, 2009, 01:09:49 PM |
|
Listerine probably poisons the mites with natural essential oils, same as it does vs. bacteria.
Did you know it was invented to sterilize surgical instruments, and was only marketed as mouthwash later on?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"the qualities of these bacteria, like the heat of the sun, electricity, or the qualities of metals, are part of the storehouse of knowledge of all men. They are manifestations of the laws of nature, free to all men and reserved exclusively to none." SCOTUS, Funk Bros. Seed Co. v. Kale Inoculant Co.
|
|
|
alyssa
Posts: 9
|
|
September 03, 2009, 02:24:51 AM |
|
Listerine probably poisons the mites with natural essential oils, same as it does vs. bacteria.
Did you know it was invented to sterilize surgical instruments, and was only marketed as mouthwash later on?
I think it might be the alcohol content that has the sterilizing action? Apparently rubbing alcohol immersion kills leg mites too
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Joel Hollingsworth
Posts: 1623
zone 10: Oakland, CA
|
|
September 03, 2009, 11:43:02 AM |
|
No, the alcohol content of Listerine is not nearly enough to have any detrimental effect on bacteria.
The alcohol is merely there to dissolve essential oils (which are noticeably more toxic than alcohol...think how tough it is to get stuff growing in eucaliptus waste, vs. wine marc!) in the water.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"the qualities of these bacteria, like the heat of the sun, electricity, or the qualities of metals, are part of the storehouse of knowledge of all men. They are manifestations of the laws of nature, free to all men and reserved exclusively to none." SCOTUS, Funk Bros. Seed Co. v. Kale Inoculant Co.
|
|
|
Elfriede B
Posts: 45
|
|
September 23, 2009, 11:08:46 AM |
|
put some wood ashes in the area where they take their dust baths.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
 articles by paul wheaton: [lawn care] [Sepp Holzer] [cast iron] [flea control]
|
