Poultry Mites & Lice

Red Poultry Mites are on the increase, and are causing great concern for all poultry keepers. They are not usually found on the birds as they hide in the infrastructure of the henhouse during daylight emerging at night to jump onto the birds to feed. Red Mite can be a killer, birds become listless, poor feeders and fade away. Warning signs are pale combs and wattles, decreased appetite, no eggs, unwillingness to go into the house at night and apathy. If you go out with a torch at night you may see the mites crawling over the birds and woodwork.

The Common Poultry Louse is yellow in colour and flat in shape and lives mostly under the tail. It lays its eggs at the base of the feathers forming a clump of what looks like white sugar. The bird is better off without these, but they are not life threatening. Control Mites and Lice by thoroughly cleaning the poultry house and then treat with sprays and dust.

Poultry Mites & Lice: Description & Life Cycle

Poultry Mites are a serious and increasing problem for commercial producers and smallholders. Under favourable conditions they can establish themselves very quickly and multiply at an astonishing rate.

Description:

Usually less than 1.5mm long
The sack like body carries the mouthparts and six operational legs with another two acting as sensory units
red or grey-black in colour when fed, colourless when empty of food

Life cycle:

female lays up to 40 eggs in batches of up to seven at a time, 12 to 24 hours after feeding
eggs are laid in cracks and crevices around the bird roost site
hatch into larvae in 1-3 days
moult into nymphs within two more days
nymphs feed on blood and moult into adults
under favourable conditions the whole cycle can take only about one week

Poultry Lice: