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.

How to Prevent Entry

Mites are frequently introduced into poultry flocks by infestations associated with wild bird nests, the introduction of new poultry into the flock and on equipment introduced into the premises.

Prevent introducing mites by:

ensuring wild birds do not nest in the structure of poultry units
isolate and treat all new poultry introduced into the unit
regular and thorough cleaning and disinfection of poultry units and equipment
limit the use of timber in poulty units as timber can provide attractive harbourages
maximise the use of impervious materials that are easy to clean
seal all potential harbourages