Poultry mites
Poultry mites (chicken mites) are parasites of chickens that breed up rapidly under warm, humid conditions. They cause the birds great distress and are also able to bite humans.
Symptoms
Symptoms include unkempt feathers, obvious irritation, general malaise of the poultry, reduced appetite and a drop in egg production.
Management
Clean your chicken coop regularly
Replace bedding with fresh material (including in nesting boxes)
Allow the birds to access dust as self-dusting is a strategy they use to protect themselves
Introduce Hypoaspis mites according to the number of birds and the severity of infestation (refer our technical sheet on Hypoaspis for poultry)
Solutions
Hypoaspis mites are aggressive natural predators that help to suppress poultry mites in chicken coops.
