Red Mite - The Silent Killer

There are sometimes moments though during my daily observations that I notice something is out of the ordinary, and I instinctively know that there is a problem in the flock that needs investigating. Maybe it’s the colour of a comb that isn’t as red as it should be, maybe it’s a drop in egg numbers or even the way hens are quite reluctant to go in to the coop as it gets dark, but somehow over the years through constant observation, I have learnt what is normal behaviour and what is the beginning of something a little more serious.

These signs all say that something isn’t quite right, yet after inspection, it is difficult to find anything wrong with the hens themselves. There is however another possibility that involves turning our attention to the hen house, to look for red mite.

During the summer months, red mites are particularly active. If you haven’t heard of these before then I’m sorry to spoil your day but they are particularly troublesome and will live inside your chicken house for up to 8 months without a feed, multiplying very quickly, hopping on and off your birds to feed from their blood during the night.

Whilst there are several different species of mite, red mite is by far the most common. Despite the name, they are actually a grey / white colour but turn red once they have had a feed. Red mites live in crevices and are particularly fond of perch ends and nest boxes where they have easy access to hop on and off your hens for a meal. Once you have them, they are notoriously difficult to get rid of so it is a really good idea to inspect your coops regularly.

The best way to find out if you have red mite is to go out to the hen house at night when it is dark, armed with a white tissue. Wipe the underneath of the perch where your hens are roosting and look for smeared blood spots that will indicate their presence.

Red mite can be controlled and there are many products available on the market such as poultry shield, diatom, and red mite powder to name a few, although be warned, they are not easy to eradicate. When you hear of fanciers attacking the cracks and crevices of their coops with a blow torch, you know they must be difficult to remove completely!

Learning how to control red mite is very important, it is without question a silent killer that many new poultry keepers haven't heard of. Birds can die if you get a heavy infestation so regularly inspecting the hen house, especially during the summer months is a top priority for every poultry keeper.