Red Mite Erradication Experiment

[Totally Scrambled]

I had a thought the other day (yes it was quite painful) when I was thinking back to my childhood on the farm.
I remember one of our jobs being slapping white wash (limewash) all around the inside of the dairy, stys and chicken houses to keep things clean and healthy. We had to be a bit careful and were made to make sure that as much skin as possible was covered up and to keep splashes away from our eyes and if we did get it in our eyes, strict instructions to rinse them under running water as it was pretty caustic.
The alkalinity killed off most mites, creepy crawlies and germs and was applied at least once a year.
It got me thinking that maybe I could kill off or heavily reduce the red mite that periodically plague us as well as other harmful/annoying little critters, so I bought a big pot, 10 litres, of white limewash and plan to slap several coats on the inside of the coop to see if it does the job.
It's the traditional mix and never goes off so will keep a long time in the pot so should last for several years and many coatings of our coops. It can be used inside and out and when you come to repainting you just wash the worst of the dirt off before painting. It protects wood as well, can be painted onto any pourous surface like brick or concrete and you can even get it in loads of colours. 10 litres cost me £20 so it's not too expensive either.
When I start painting I will do the full health and safety bit by wearing a boiler suit and goggles.
The red mite numbers have just started to explode in our coops so I should know pretty quickly if it works or not and will keep you updated with how my little experiment works. If it does what I hope then it will save me cash long term as I won't have to get all the other lotions and potions we all get to try to get rid of the little blighters.
Dom

[p.penn]

I hope it won't be toxic to the chooks (or eggs) I am not very clever with things like that so wouldn't know

[Totally Scrambled]

From my research it is perfectly safe once it has dried and obviously I won't let them paddle in it or drink it.
It's made from limestone which they put in flour to help with soft egg shells.
Once the paint was dry there was no problem rubbing against the walls even when they were wet after washing down and I remember cows licking the sides of the milking stall with no ill effects.
The bloke I got it from does a whole range of lime materials for renovating old houses and, when chatting to him about what I was going to do, said he kept chickens and had been doing the insides and outsides of his coops for years with no problems and very few little critters so I'm optimistic it will work.
He also keeps bees and sells his honey, beeswax blocks and tins of his homemade beeswax furniture polish so we'll be popping back to get some soon
Dom

[p.penn]

[wendy]

I can remember my Dad doing that with our chickens, when I was a child.
Never heard of mites mentioned

[Totally Scrambled]

I was going to start painting this morning but as it is still chucking it down half the chooks are inside so for now it's a limewash free zone.
Dom

[Bridgets Mum]

How interesting. I'll look forward to hearing how you get on. I've run wild with the blowtorch recently, followed up with diatom. Haven't seen any sign of the wee beasties since but no doubt there will have been egg survivors. The idea of a clean, white interior is more attractive than my scorched hen house though so I shall consider the lime too.

[ChickenCarol]

Did you get to do the lime wash yet or has rain stopped play?

[urbanchicks]

Sounds good DOM what is it called and where did you buy it from? Interested on how you get on.
Maggie.

[Totally Scrambled]

With other things going on I haven't got as far as I'd hoped but I have cleaned down the inside of the coop and done one coat on most of it with a double coat on some, it will probably require three.
It does seem to be working but maybe a little early to tell for sure. The mite show up really clearly on the white and seem to move really slowly. All the places they used to huddle in dark corners are completely clear now but I assume some are hiding in some of the crevices are still there although there do seem to be less of them and those that are there seem sluggish.
I purposely didn't use anything to kill them before painting to see how it went. With the sdditional coats I'm hopeful it will do the job but it's a wait and see job. On the upside the inside is brighter and looks cleaner.

Sounds good DOM what is it called and where did you buy it from? Interested on how you get on.
Maggie.

It's official name is Limewash but it has to be made in the traditional way, from lime putty, so that it is alkaline and is mostly used nowadays for renovating/restoring old properties. I just looked it up online and found a chap in the restoration business who was just down the road.
Dom

[wendy]