Red Poultry Mite

Smooth surfaces without cracks and crevices help keep populations down. Avoid hen houses made from rough sawn timbers; especially tongue and groove styled timbers. Smooth surfaces, like plastic or galvanised iron are easy to clean and keep free of mites.

Ensure birds have a dust bowl so they can carry out their natural parasite removal dust bath.

If birds are affected by mites contact your veterinarian for advice and products for application to the birds. Note: only veterinary products registered for use on birds for control of mites should be used.

Coop Treatment

1. As the mites do not live on the birds, but in the cracks and crevices of the hen house, it is important to keep the house clean.
2. Remove the hens from the house and clean it out thoroughly, including removing and disposing of bedding and litter.
3. Then spray the house, inside and outside with SORTED Moss & Mould. Let the house dry completely.
4. Then spray the house, inside and outside with NO Spiders Total Protection. Pay attention to cracks and crevices. Let the house dry completely. Note: NO Spiders Total Solution is more effective against mites than NO Bugs Super because mites are closely related to spiders and the oil emulsion formulation contacts the tiny mites more effectively.
5. Install new clean bedding and litter and provide the birds with a dust bath. The birds can now be returned to their house.
6. Carry out this treatment regularly at 3-month intervals or as necessary.
7. The life-cycle of the mites takes only 10 days so check the birds and the house regularly (every 1-2 weeks) so that you can treat in the early stages of infestation and change bird bedding and litter monthly.

There are other mites such as scaly leg mite which burrow under the scales on the legs of hens; check with your veterinarian for treatment of these.

• Download the 1-2-3 Poultry Mite Control Programme

• Red poultry mite is Dermanyssus gallinae