Too Much Rain, Heat & Humidity

Here in WI. has brought some new problems to one of our lofts.

Its seems as though we have a leg mite problem with our Modenas. I noticed they were stomping a couple of nights ago, they have never exhibited this before.
So I did my research and this morning I gave each bird 2 drops of Ivomec & cleaned their loft.

The other loft isn't having any problems but I'm thinking about treating them too, just to be sure.

This is a very strange year in S.E. WI., very wet & humid so I've been on high alert watching the animals & how they are acting.

Is anyone else getting such strange weather in your area?

The weather is odd here too, Robin. In fact...I have never seen it so freaky for this time of year. We are in a cool, wet pattern. Lucky for my sanity there have been 3-4 sunny days thrown into the others. The extended weather forcast here is for more of the same for the next 45 days. This could be the summer that past us by.

I have had an on going battle with mites for a couple of years. Do treat your other loft. it also helps to dust all the birds every 30 days and spray the loft that often too. It helps break the cycle.

Good luck with it. Mites are miserable.

Matilda wrote:

The weather is odd here too, Robin. In fact...I have never seen it so freaky for this time of year. We are in a cool, wet pattern. Lucky for my sanity there have been 3-4 sunny days thrown into the others. The extended weather forcast here is for more of the same for the next 45 days. This could be the summer that past us by.

I have had an on going battle with mites for a couple of years. Do treat your other loft. it also helps to dust all the birds every 30 days and spray the loft that often too. It helps break the cycle.

Good luck with it. Mites are miserable.

What do you recommend to spray the loft with?

I use Sevin spray. It can be purchased in consentrate form at garden supply stores.
The mites hide in the wood in the loft and come out at night and so every thing needs to be sprayed and repeated.

The other thing you can do that helps alot, is take a soft cloth, dip it in olive oil and rub the oil on the feet and legs of each pigeon. Any mites that may have burrowed into the legs, will be smothered.

Matilda wrote:

I use Sevin spray. It can be purchased in consentrate form at garden supply stores.
The mites hide in the wood in the loft and come out at night and so every thing needs to be sprayed and repeated.

Thanks I'll put it on my errand list for today.

Matilda wrote:

The weather is odd here too, Robin. In fact...I have never seen it so freaky for this time of year. We are in a cool, wet pattern. Lucky for my sanity there have been 3-4 sunny days thrown into the others. The extended weather forcast here is for more of the same for the next 45 days. This could be the summer that past us by.

I have had an on going battle with mites for a couple of years. Do treat your other loft. it also helps to dust all the birds every 30 days and spray the loft that often too. It helps break the cycle.

Good luck with it. Mites are miserable.

I hope summer doesn't pass you by, that would be terrible I couldn't stand not having sunny days!
Hopefuuly the forecast will be wrong :Yes:

Matilda wrote:

The other thing you can do that helps alot, is take a soft cloth, dip it in olive oil and rub the oil on the feet and legs of each pigeon. Any mites that may have burrowed into the legs, will be smothered.

I read that too. I also have been putting borax in their bath water twice a week & thats worked up until this year Now I know some of what pigeon keepers in the south go through.

Oiling the legs works really well. My chickens love it when I massage the oil into their feet.
Of course it doesn't work well at all on feather legged or footed birds.

Borax does help, but my pigeons won't bathe in water that has Borax in it.

Haven't had any problems here, Robin.
Our temps have been anything but cool though. Yesterday was 113 and today it's supposed to be 111.

I hope you are able to get a handle on this soon. :Yes:
When I was rescuing and had a bird with creepy crawlies I used Sevin Dust powder and it seemed to work just fnie.

Haven't had any problems here either Robin.

No Rain..........No Humidity........just.......HEAT, HEAT, HEAT...........It will be over 100 degrees here every day from now on until the end of September. :eek:

Louise

Sorry to hear some of your birds got leg mites from the unseasonable weather. I hope you manage to get rid of all the unwanted guests.

Our weather this year has been strange as well, colder than usual, very windy, and wetter, though there's still quite a bit of sunshine. For tonight there was a warning on TV that a third of Portugal is on yellow alert for thunderstorms and hail! :eek:

Jackie's Mom wrote:

Haven't had any problems here either Robin.

No Rain..........No Humidity........just.......HEAT, HEAT, HEAT...........It will be over 100 degrees here every day from now on until the end of September. :eek:

Louise

Yep!! Same over here.

Teresa wrote:

Sorry to hear some of your birds got leg mites from the unseasonable weather. I hope you manage to get rid of all the unwanted guests.

Our weather this year has been strange as well, colder than usual, very windy, and wetter, though there's still quite a bit of sunshine. For tonight there was a warning on TV that a third of Portugal is on yellow alert for thunderstorms and hail! :eek:

Oh how I'd love for our weather to be strange like that for just one year.
In my lifetime that is.

Has anyone used the bug bombs in their loft?

I know we have to take out all the food, water & grit containers and of course lock the birds out for sometime.

I've used them in empty buildings and them work.

I think it would work. I just don't know how long you would need to wait before putting the birds back. They are so much more sensitive than we are.

Matilda wrote:

I think it would work. I just don't know how long you would need to wait before putting the birds back. They are so much more sensitive than we are.

I was thinking that if I treated the loft in the morning then I would have just about the whole day to air the loft out, opening windows, doors & putting in a couple of fans to help.

The pigeons could spend the day in their flight where I would put their food & water.

I really don't know if that would be enough time to air it out especially since you would need to close it up at dark.