CHOOKS
Cleaned out the coop. Mites, some of them blood-fed. Didn't manage to scrub it down (rain was pending), but rinsed it down and out with water, then changed the floor from the wooden slab to a wire grille. Bedding was transferred (messily) to the small all-green bin where it will stay until at least September. But doubtless plenty of the mites and their eggs ended up on the ground and will make their way back to the chooks. Luckily I bought 9kg of diatomaceous earth for sprinkling, but I have the awful feeling it may need a chemical bomb, as un-permaculture as it is. Although I wonder if sticky bands might work around the legs after a good rinse-off?
Someone once said, perhaps a little cheekily, that mites were part of keeping chickens. I'm not particularly happy with that conclusion, but certainly the situation I have them in at present (wooden coop, plenty of places for them to hide and breed) is not helping.
PLANNING
Cement floor for coop, raised-and-bolted wooden frame so coop can be sprayed down and water can drain out the bottom. Metal walls, metal roof, metal grating for roosts. Maybe an insulated roof to reduce the heat during the summer overhead sun.
NOTES
Will have to do another coop-clean in a fortnight's time once the weather dries out. It's going to be showers for the next 10 days, easing back off around the 6th March (we hope). But overall, the wet and the warm this summer hasn't helped the bug situation.
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