Red Mite

[ukawops]

I changed my chicken's bedding on Sunday and noticed yesterday that they were not going into the coop but were roosting on the steps instead. I checked and we have red mite. I also noticed them pecking at themselves today. What can I do to make the problem go away? They are still laying so hopefully it's not too late to nip this in the bud. And, is it ok to let them sleep on the steps for now while I fix the issue?

Thank you for any advise!

 

[movick]

Red mites have a specific ethology, they come out of their hiding places at night and migrate en masse within the chicken coop to the perches behind the hens. In the morning, they make the same journey but in the opposite direction - back to the shelter on the sides of the perches. They cannot breed anywhere else than in cavities and crevices where they go to hide during the day.

It is therefore advisable to isolate roosting hens from the surrounding environment and thus create an insurmountable barrier between the hens - a food source for red mites - and the surrounding environment where red mites reproduce. You will never be able to breed on isolated perches because you can groom the surface and it doesn't provide enough shelter. The insulation is done by fitting a perch into the metal frame with table legs and putting the legs in oil cans.

It is important that the perch is washable and cannot provide shelters for red mites. If somehow they do get onto the perches, you can easily dispose of them during the day using a flame or other means.
surface and it doesn't provide enough shelter. The insulation is done by fitting a perch into the metal frame with metal legs and putting the legs in cans with oil.

It is important that the perch is washable and cannot provide shelters for red mites. If somehow they do get on the perches, you can easily dispose of them during the day using a flame or other means.table