Like any other animal, chickens have diseases and parasites. Mites are common pests that affect chickens. How to combat and prevent chicken mites, read on!
Generally, chickens can keep themselves healthy with minimal help from you, but if they become infected with parasites, action should be taken. Mites are usually not difficult to get rid of. Just a little bit of hard work can help protect the birds. You can find out in this article which home remedies help against chicken mites and how you can prevent an infestation.
What are chicken mites
These pests look like tiny ticks. Mites are arachnids with eight legs and a fat, small body. They live on the bodies of birds and feed on the blood of your chickens. They are short-lived, multiplying and dying within about a week. Mites mainly appear in warm and humid weather and multiply quickly.The pests causeItching and pain in affected birds. Before the mites start feeding, they look like tiny gray insects. As soon as they have eaten their fill of the chickens' blood, they turn bright red.
Signs of mites on your birds
Since mites are small and are primarily active at night, it is difficult to detect a mite infestation early. When your chickens startlosing their feathers, this may be a sign that they have been infested with mites.The birds bite and scratch under their wingsand often have tiny gray or red spots. The skin looks scaly, red or inflamed andTraces of blood can be seen on the legs. These are all signs of mites.Fewer eggs than usualare also a sign of an infestation. If your henspale crests and wattlesyou should be careful and check them for mites.
Natural methods and home remedies for chicken mites
When infested with mites, the chicken becomes weaker and is likely to suffer from other diseases because its immune system is weakened. In extreme cases, the chicken may die if no measures are taken. It is recommended to fight mites naturally. How to get rid of chicken mites naturally? Below you will find out which home remedies can be used against chicken mites.
Use neem oil against mites
How can you treat chicken mites? It has been proven that neem oil can greatly reduce mite populations. One study found a 92% reduction in mites over a week. How do you prepare the mixture? To spray the coop, mix 2 teaspoons of neem oil in a spray bottle with apple cider vinegar and water. Spray the inside of the chicken coop, especially the corners and nesting boxes. Then let the coop air out for at least 3 days and keep your chickens somewhere else while you clean the coop. Neem oil can also be applied directly to your chickens. Spray it three times within eight days. Repeat the treatment if necessary.
Dust baths help against chicken mites
Set up a dust bathing area for your chickens, this will naturally help prevent many parasites. You can add some wood ash or food-grade diatomaceous earth to the dust area.
Fight chicken mites with diatomaceous earth
Diatomaceous earth is a natural remedy against parasites. Sprinkle it in your chickens' dust bathing area or even directly on their feathers. Diatomaceous earth is harmless to birds, but it is harmless to mites and othersIt is a powerful repellent against pests. If you use it, be careful not to inhale it and keep the powder away from the chickens' eyes.
Use garlic juice against the pests
As many people know, garlic can be successfully used in the fight against pests. Garlic can also help against chicken lice and mites. You can combat mites in chickens by adding garlic or garlic juice to chicken feed, as most parasites do not like the taste of garlic in chicken blood. You can also make a mixture of water, garlic juice, and an essential oil (such as lavender) and spray it directly on your chickens and around their coop.
Prevention is better than cure
Once you've fought mites, you know how stubborn the pests can be. Prevention can go a long way toward keeping mites at bay. How do you prevent an infestation? You can hang some dried herbs in your chicken coop to deter the mites. Herbs such as chamomile, mint, garlic and thyme have been proven to repel mites. If you regularly sprinkle the stable with diatomaceous earth, you can avoid an infestation.
Mites or lice can easily be transmitted to your birds from other animals or wildlife! Good hygiene in the coop is essential when keeping your birdsprotect from pestswant. Take the time to clean your birds' bedding and resting areas and do this regularly, at least once a week, to ensure good hygiene in the coop.
Are chicken mites dangerous for humans?
As a rule, these pests feed at night. They can also bite people if you go into an infested stable at night. The worst thing you can experience from a bite is skin irritation, like that caused by mosquitoes.
