Can chicken mites kill chickens?

[Hadassah14]

Okay, I'm posting for a friend.

I was watching a friend's farm and they had a broody hen that acted fine but had a super pail comb. She was fine one day and lifeless the next. We gave her things to boost her sugars she started getting better then just died. The coop was infested with mites. Could mite be the cause of the death? They now have two more hens looking pail but acting normal.

 

[sourland]

Mites can absolutely kill chickens. Setting hens are especially vulnerable as the mites build up in their nests. Your friend needs to clean and spray their coop and dust all of their birds.

 

[Ridgerunner]

A poultry Science professor who specialized in avian medicine said roost mites kill more broody hens than anything else. He also said it is safe to dust or spray the hen, eggs, and baby chicks.

 

[Kiki]

Mites and or lice literally suck the life right out of the bird and can kill.