Red Mite

[Merryski]

Recently posted on here Bald Hen,

Had someone have a look and they were certain it was moulting, but it isnt

Unfortunately have found red mite,

I have now stripped down coop washed and dusted everything, regularly use diatom powder but they have still managed to get in two of the girls are now on the way to having bald bellies, howvere thay all seem happy and are laying

Is there anything else I can do, should I treat the girls with anything ?

Very anxious

thanks in anticipation of your responses

 

[chrismahon]

They won't lose feathers with red mite and still lay Merryski. Have you found head / neck lice that burrow into the feathers and suck blood from the quills until the feathers die and fall out? They are grey go red like red mite but much bigger .Difficult to get rid of as won't respond to Pyrethum spray or powder in my experience. Frontline SPRAY (not spot-on) from vet at 3 squirts per Kg bodyweight.

 

[Merryski]

Thanks Chris

But definately red mite under perch size of a pin head, its only on two of the girls bald bum and then moving up to chest the one girl is starting to lose feathers from her legs as well, will get some Frontline spray as you suggest, could they have both red mite and head/neck lice ?

Still steam cleaning all of coop and putting diatom into all corners and crevices and coating perch !

 

[chrismahon]

Yes they could Merryski. I thought about it after the post and decided the feather loss and the presence of red mite in the coop were not related, just co-incidental.

It's going to be a really bad red mite year this year as its too hot too early. Best get on top of the red mite problem and stay on top.

 

[Chuck]

I'm not sure I'd associate red mite with feather loss as 90% of red mite attacks occur at night or when they're in the house. As they don't live on the birds, there would be no incentive for the feathers to get pulled out and it could just be a case of feather pecking. That said, you could still have red mite and ordinary lice or feather mite which Chris has discussed.
Don't know how effective Diatom is or whether it can be got into the crevices that it needs to get into and would recommend creosote.