Fighting mites and lice...
This is a problem I have had a lot of contact about, it is an ongoing problem for poultry keepers.
They come in the form of feather mites, mites, red mite, leg mites, lice, louse, but they can all be treated the same way
Mites - Small dots that live in wood, so hen houses cracks, corners, perches but feed on the hens over night. If there are no wooden parts they live on the hens, they also do this if there are too many mites in hen house already. These mites will leave your hens with feather loss, anaemia, poor egg production and in severe cases death
Red Mites - Small dots that live in wood, so hen houses cracks, corners, perches but feed on the hens over night. If there are no wooden parts they live on the hens, they also do this if there are too many mites in hen house already. These mites are aggressive feeders and will leave your hens with feather loss, anaemia, poor egg production and will eventually cause death.
Louse/lice - Larger than mites, and clearly obvious when you look under feathers. They live on hen all the time, cause irritation, featherloss, anaemia, and poor egg production
Louse eggs
Leg mites - These are almost invisible mites that live beneath the scales on hens legs. They cause severe itching and pain, and eventually push up the scales and deform their legs, this can result in loss of toes, feet, and cause severe infection and death.
Any hen is vulnerable to mites or lice, they thrive in wet and warm conditions. Often parasites are transported to your hen house by straw, hay and bedding, and other times pigeons, pheasants, wild rabbits and birds.
Like everything there are hundreds of brands and potions claiming they work to kill mites and lice. We have tried most of them ourselves.
The best powders and sprays are those that have insecticide in, everything else takes a long time to work over a number of weeks.
At LHR we use the below products.
Hen House cleaning and mite killing
Net-Tex
Total mite kill liquid concentrate
Net-Tex Total Mite Kill is a dual-working product that is a fast working insecticide with rapid knockdown, and a multi-purpose cleaner that:
· Kills mites, fleas, lice and other flying and crawling insects.
· Cleans & Disinfects
· Kills bacteria, virus, yeast, fungi and algae (i.e E.coli, Salmonella, Listeria and Ps Aeruginosa)
· Penetrates deep into deep cracks, crevices and corners which parasites commonly use as harbourages
· Contains excellent residuality on all common surfaces
Available to buy online
Bedding, dust baths and nest boxes
Battles
Louse powder available in different sizes
Very effective, traditional Louse Powder. Designed to be used on the litter and around the housing and in dust baths, nest boxes etc. For use against all types of lice and mite, including northern mite, de-pluming mite, red mite etc.
This contains insecticide that kills external parasites
Available online to buy
Chickens
Ivermectin
Spot on treatment
Controls mites in large birds and other creatures. It works by drops on the back of neck that soaks in fat cells and kills when mites bite.
Available to buy online, search for best price.
The best cure is prevention, if you use the above products monthly mites and louse will never take hold.
If you do have a problem already treat and then treat again in a weeks time to cover any that may have escaped.
Good luck.