Monday 2 September 2013

Red Spider Mite!

Hello All
 A warm Welcome to Twiggypeasticks ! Thanks for following my ramblings.

We have spent the day fighting the dreaded red spider mite ( Oh No !!!!) For those of you that don't keep chickens, the red spider mite is the scourge of the late summer months. It is a VERY small mite that lives in cracks and crevices during the day, to come out at night while the birds are roosting to suck blood from the poor things. If you look at them while they are hunkered down before a feed they are little grey dots, but they change to red after they have fed! They are truly disgusting and pull the poor hens down  We have not been troubled with it before, but this year we are struggling to keep on top of the little blighters. After trying all the products from the fodder rooms, which made very little difference, we bought out the Big Guns ... Creosote !!!. After vigorously  brushing and scraping down the perches and laying boxes, we painted them, and every nook and cranny, with creosote. By Gum that showed them ! You are probably thinking.."Doesn't the creosote hurt the chickens"? Not half as much as being attacked by thousands of Vampires it doesn't !! I got quite a lot of creosote on me, in my hair, down my t shirt, on my neck and I am not harmed in any way.
 I came in covered in the creepy little mites and went straight into the shower after throwing my clothes out of the bathroom window. ( I even had mites in my bra running all over my chesticles) Don't know if any neighbours saw my clothes flying out of the window, but it probably looked a little odd  if they did!!
 I need to get down to some Civic Society stuff as I am falling behind with some of the oral histories and collection of material for our exhibition later this year. Blogging is so much more fun though! I think, "I'll just have look at those I follow" and then I see something interesting in their side bar, click onto someone they follow and before you know it I'm on a journey around the world. It's a bit like a drug and probably the biggest time-waster in my life. I think I need to set my timer as a reminder of the things I should be doing!
 Anyway, I see it is gone eleven and I need to set the washer for cheap rate before I take my book to bed. St Luke's Hospice Charity shop at Callington had 6 books for a pound last week... bargain! and for a good charity too. I shall take them back when I have read them to be recycled yet again.
 Just realised that this blog is not very interesting and will also probably make you itch! I shall try to do better next time.
Good Night dear frugal friends
Gillx

5 comments:

  1. Nasty little things aren't they. Really put chickens off lay, and not a problem mentioned to people when they buy chickens for the first time.

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    1. Indeed , The poultry websites are full of people upset by and trying to get rid of RSM.
      People don't always realise that pests and diseases and their prevention or cure are part and parcel of keeping livestock. Facts not always mentioned to people who want to keep half a dozen chickens in the back garden.

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  2. Oh that did make me laugh Gill, sorry! It's the picture of the clothes flying out the bathroom window that did it :) Good luck with the chickens, sounds like a nightmare for you x

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    1. Haven't had any funny looks from the neighbours today ( no more than usual anyway!) so I guess I got away with it.
      I hope it is not my imagination, but the hens do seem a little more relaxed today

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  3. Hate that sort of thing. I used to have hens, was very lucky not to have trouble with those mites. Keep rabbits now, maybe hens again someday. You are right about people not knowing about these things. I only did because my mum used to keep chickens. Shudder, itch! Pam

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