How to Effectively Manage Red Mite in Chickens and Their Housing

Keeping chickens can be delightful but challenging, especially when facing parasites like the red mite. These tiny nocturnal bloodsuckers not only cause discomfort but can lead to anaemia and ill health in your flock. Managing red mite effectively requires a careful balance of treating both your birds and their housing with safe and eco-friendly products.

Over recent years, red mites have developed resistance to many chemical treatments, and regulatory changes in the UK have banned several previously common pesticides. Thankfully, new natural remedies and best practice approaches are providing poultry owners with safer, effective solutions to keep their hens healthy and happy.

Understanding Red Mite and Its Impact

Red mites primarily feed on chickens at night, hiding in wood crevices and nesting boxes during the day. Due to their prolific reproduction rates, a single treatment rarely eradicates the infestation—multiple treatments are essential spaced 5 to 6 days apart to disrupt the mite life cycle.

Infested birds may show signs of anaemia, feather loss, and decreased egg production. It is vital to control red mites promptly and humanely to protect your flock’s welfare.

Safe and Eco-Friendly Treatment Products for Chicken Housing

To tackle mites in your coop or hen house, focus treatments on dark crevices where mites hide. There are three main product types:

• Liquids: Penetrate nooks and crannies effectively, removing protective wax coatings on mites causing dehydration and death. For example, Poultry Shield is a popular detergent-based liquid safe around chickens and environmentally friendly.
• Powders: Long-lasting powders like Diatomaceous Earth, composed of fossilised algae particles, physically damage mite bodies. They can be dusted in bedding, nest boxes, and even on birds.
• Smoke Treatments: Specialized smoke products reach tiny cracks not accessible by liquids or powders, providing thorough coverage.

Products for Use on Chickens

Some powders and natural products, such as Red Mite Powder containing tea tree oil, can be applied directly to chickens to repel or kill mites. Use these carefully, following all safety instructions. Not all products are approved for food-producing birds, so verify product licensing to prevent contaminating eggs or meat.

Step-by-Step Red Mite Control Process

Step 1: Inspect and Clean

Begin with thorough cleaning of your coop. Remove droppings, old bedding, and debris to reduce habitats.

Step 2: Treat the Housing

Apply diluted liquid treatments like Poultry Shield to all wooden surfaces, accessing hiding places. Follow up with powder applications such as Diatomaceous Earth on perches and nesting areas once dry.

Step 3: Treat Your Chickens

Apply natural powders or sprays designed for birds, ensuring you do not use banned or harmful chemicals. Adding diatomaceous earth to dust baths encourages self-treatment by chickens.

Step 4: Repeat Treatments

Repeat housing and bird treatments every 5 to 6 days for at least three cycles to eliminate newly hatched mites before they mature.

Preventing Future Infestations

Once controlled, maintain your coop with weekly cleaning and regular use of eco-friendly products. Quarantine new birds to avoid introducing mites. Use smooth surfaces for perches and nests to limit hiding places, and offer dust baths with natural products.

Choosing Responsible Products and Practices

Always choose mite treatments that are safe for your flock, yourself, and the environment. Avoid harsh chemicals banned in the UK. Natural options like Poultry Shield, Diatomaceous Earth, and Red Mite Powder offer effective, sustainable control.

By combining careful treatment, regular maintenance, and preventive measures, you can safeguard your chickens from red mite infestations in a kind and responsible way.