Red mites (Dermanyssus gallinae) are blood-feeding ectoparasites in tiny crevices inside poultry houses. During the warmer months, they emerge at night to feed on the blood of chickens and turkeys. Red mites substantially impact egg production in commercial and household flocks; they are very difficult to eliminate.
Even though red mites are not species-specific and can feed on any kind of bird, geese and other birds are not typically affected because they do not roost and are very active at night.
Poultry red mites infestation
Red mites frequently hide throughout the day in crevices and prey on birds at night. Sometimes few mites accidentally stay on the birds, and they get transported along with these birds when they are being sold. Although there isn’t much evidence to back this up, it is also thought that wild birds can introduce red mites into a flock. However, dogs or people can act as intermediate hosts and carry them when visiting or handling poultry.
Signs and symptoms of red mite infestation
An infestation of red mites can be called chicken mites, roost mites, or poultry mites. Several signs and symptoms emerge when red mite infestation is detected.
- Skin irritation
- Stress in poultry
- Reduction in egg numbers
- Blood spots on eggs
- Pale egg yolks
- Feather pulling
- Weight loss
- Anaemia
- Death in extreme cases.
How to identify red mites
Red mites are slow-moving and small; they are 1mm long and 0.7mm wide—their color changes from light grey, almost translucent brown, to black and blood-red color after feeding. Red mite eggs are difficult to spot with the unaided eyes as they are around 0.4mm and also translucent white.
Examining your coop for red mites
- First, search for the presence of red mite colonies and their excrement that looks like cigarette ash around where the birds roost at night. You can check the perch ends for evidence or even remove the perches to make it easier to spot them.
- Since red mites always feed at night, you can find them crawling along the coop’s perches and walls with a torch light. You realize chickens do not want to roost at night or may roost at the runs.
- They can also be found on the felt roofs of your chicken coop. When they hide, colonies become difficult to eradicate without detaching the roofs.
- Birds may lay eggs on the coop floor because they get bitten in the nest boxes.
Red mites control methods
Red mites can be controlled by adopting a more organic approach to kill the colonies since there are only a few chemical methods available, and it’s even best to go with the organic approach to avoid harming yourself or the birds.
Control methods
- Painting cracks and crevices with paraffin
- Spraying pressure washers into the cracks infested with mites
- Applying double-sided sticky papers on the underside and ends of perches
- Smearing Vaseline into cracks to get rid of scaly leg mites.
- Stripper wallpapers with steamers
- Placing blowtorches around cracks and crevices infested with red mites.
- Pour coke on cracks with red mites to dissolve their waxy coat.
- Adding dusting powders like Diatomaceous Earth to their baths so that when the mites land on the birds, they will run diatom again.
Chemical products to kill red mites
Red mite removal solutions are utilized in industrial poultry housing. Still, because they are often only offered in extremely large quantities, they are neither practical nor cost-effective for backyard flocks with smaller homes.
Exzolt
Exzolt is currently MSD Animal Health’s newest product, and it has. Fluralaner is the active ingredient. It is primarily added to the water that birds drink, entering their bloodstream and disrupting the nervous system of female bird-feeding mites after preying on the birds.
When using Exzolt, mixed flocks of bantams and huge fowl must be separated because the dosing must be accurate according to the bird’s weight. It would be best if you got a prescription from a veterinarian to get this product. Exzolt is taken twice, seven days apart, to treat two mite life cycles, and tests have revealed a 99% kill rate. Egg withdrawal is not required, but the meat withdrawal period is only 14 days.
Insecticides
The most commonly found ingredients in insecticides are Permethrin. Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid obtained from dried flowers of the chrysanthemum daisy. Permethrin-containing products typically come in powder form, which can be used to dust perches and bedding. They are still effective for a while; even after you clean the house, there won’t be any need to reapply. When red mites come in contact with Permethrin, it weakens the insect’s nervous system. It is a non-toxic substance to mammals and a powerful insecticide.
Unless they have been tested on birds that lay eggs for human consumption, insecticides shouldn’t be applied to the birds themselves.
Spot-on products
Using spot-on treatments classified under Small Animal Exemption Scheme is strictly prohibited. These products are made to be used on small animals such as caged birds or pigeons. Under their Cascade program, only a Veterinary Surgeon can prescribe them if you genuinely wish to utilize them. Additionally, they can provide safety advice on the egg withdrawal time, typically at least 7 days.
Disinfectants
Several chemical-based disinfectants can kill red mites. The most popular and convenient red mite killer is Jeyes Fluid. When using chemical disinfectants, remember that they can be hazardous if you get them on your skin or, worse yet, in your eyes, so always carefully follow the manufacturer’s directions.
Poultry Shield
This is the most popular red mite elimination product by far. It is good for routine cleaning of the coop since it is multipurpose; it can be used as a cleaner, detergent, and sanitizer, but it is also quite successful in killing red mites. The poultry shield contains no insecticides, and it works by washing the waxy coat off the red mites, causing it to dehydrate and die. This makes it safe for both the bird and the farmer.
Using Smite
Another widely used detergent-based solution that is effective against parasites, including red mite and their eggs. Smite is a degreasing cleaner used to eliminate organic debris during routine cleaning. It smells good and has a dosage pump that is simple to use attached to the top of the container.
Conclusion
Red mites in chickens can impact your chicken’s health. Following this poultry red mites infestation guide, you can eliminate them.
