REDMITE

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Lisa Weaver

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Hi there

I am new to this forum. I have had a huge Redmite problem, which is now under control but I just wondered if there was any cream or something I could purchase to help my poor hens raw skin?

Many thanks


Lisa
 
HI Lisa!
The most useful cream is Sudocrem but, to be honest, it is rarely needed. Often what is seen is the reddening of skin when it is exposed by areas without feathers for a prolonged period. If we had it you would think a third degree burn as it is a deep red and with a crispy appearance. It seems to be just a reaction involving pigment to protect those exposed areas and just disappears as soon as new pin feathers start to come through. So unless there is broken skin (blood/scabs) then I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Well done for beating RM! They are sneaky little critters so I would get a bit of clean plywood or similar and leave it near the perches with a little gap under and then check it routinely. It alerted me, just the other day; on a perch that I thought was isolated and clear of them, they had found little crevices in the painted wood and a tiny population were tucked away on the underside but happily moved into the ideal spot I left for them and were discovered.
 
Great many thanks for this, it’s been really helpful. They are an utter nightmare in this warm weather aren’t they
 
Calendula cream is what I use for rashes and general skin irritation.
Just a thought. Are you sure, given it seems you may be dealing with some type of rash that it is red mite causing it?
Red mite bites don't normal give rashes. They bite, suck the blood and go. Have you considered you may be dealing with straw itch mite which do leave swelling and irritation?
 
Mine have always been on shavings to prevent the straw mites. They are very sore and red, will try and get a picture
 
Lisa Weaver said:
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Thanks. Here are my poor girls
 

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Poor girls, like Shadrach I am not sure it is red mite, doesn't usually do this. But I am not an expert.
If any of ours get a cut or anything, we use sudocreme also.
Have you tried looking at the base of the feathers of any of the hens to see if you can see any other sort of mite, lurking ?
 
That's the redness I have seen on mine a couple of years ago. I'm not sure what causes the feather loss - I think it may be over preening through irritation as I had it happen (the hens, of course) a few times before having a proper handle on RM and lice. It looks sore but tried nappy cream and it made no difference. As soon as the new pins started to come through the immediate area around the shaft went white (it was like a polka dot effect briefly!) and then the skin changed to a normal colour and the feathers grew out. That's what makes me think its a pigmentation rather than something we recognise as a sore blush on human skin. I might be wrong but all I know is it disappeared instantly with new pins. Definitely avoid creams like Germoline as they contain a local anaesthetic (to stop insect bites itching) that can cause shock in birds. .... come to think of it I was watching back episodes of Springwatch earlier and the dunnock chicks were a shocking beetroot red under their thin coat of fluff - I'm almost certain its UV protection when feather coverage is missing/low but it doesn't seem to always happen because Bonnie would often shed mucky bum feathers in the summer and stay the normal colour until the next moult - maybe because they were shed naturally - its a chicken mystery!
 
Oh I never thought of that and that it might be because they haven’t got uv protection!! Well I have done everything I can mite wise. Someone suggested it might be a northern mite as appears to redmite (even though I definitely know I have had a redmite infestation)

I hate it, as it makes me feel so fad, anyway I have some stuff to pop in their water arriving today to see if that helps with mites and lice.

Thank you so much for your thoughts
 
That's good you can't see anything living on them.
I have had the odd hen that has had her crop show through the feathers when it is full at the end of the day, and the skin was like a boiled lobster to look at. quite scary at first
hope the stuff in their water does the trick
 
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