In our first blog we spoke about the joy of keeping hens and some of the legal implications surrounding setting up your flock. Since the lockdown, there has been an increased interest in keeping hens, not surprisingly as there is nothing better than fresh laid eggs for breakfast! Here are a few things to look out for to make sure your hens are happy and healthy;
Like our dogs and cats, there are a few insects we have to be aware of to protect our hens –
RED MITE
This is one of the main problems you will come across when keeping chickens. Red mite are part of the arachnid family, tiny, bloodsucking creatures. These can be very dangerous to your chickens, and they can be difficult to detect. They hide away during the day and then at night-time, they emerge into the coop to infest the birds and feed. They are also prolific breeders so it only takes a few red mite to cause a major infestation.
NORTHERN MITE
This is the other mite that frequently affects chickens. Northern mite are different to red mite in that they are present on the birds for their entire life, constantly feeding from the bird, causing anaemia and eventually, death! They breed incredibly quickly and are much smaller than the red mite so not always obvious until there is a major infestation
Treatment
Our Poultry Mite & Lice Powder can be used on the birds, and also in and around the coop. This contains natural organic diatomaceous earth which is safe for use on laying chickens. It is especially important to treat the coop, our Poultry Housing Spray is a HSE licenced approved product which will kill mites, lice, fleas, larvae and other insects and will protect for several months against re-infestation!
