The hens are reluctant to go up on the perch at night, their combs are pale, laying is slowly slipping, and the shells have tiny dark specks. A vet examines the birds in the daytime and finds nothing. That’s the signature of the poultry red mite: by day it hides in cracks, at night it comes out to feed on blood. Researchers estimate that around 80% of European laying farms are infested, from industrial units to backyard flocks.
What this mite is
- It lives in the house, not on the bird: in cracks in perches and nest boxes, in wall joints.
- It breeds fast. In warm conditions the full cycle from egg to adult takes about a week, so in summer numbers explode.
- It survives months without feeding — up to 8–9 months. An empty house between flocks doesn’t kill it.
Why it matters
- anemia: pale combs, weakness, deaths in heavy infestations;
- restlessness, poor sleep, feather pecking;
- lower production and blood spots on the shells;
- it carries disease agents, salmonella among them;
- it bites the people who work in the house too.
How to find it in five minutes
- In the evening or at night, use a flashlight to check the underside of the perches and where they are fixed.
- Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of a perch: red-brown smears are crushed, freshly fed mites.
- Look at cracks and joints: a gray, ash-like deposit is clusters of mites, their cast skins and droppings.
- For regular monitoring, tuck corrugated cardboard traps into perch cracks and check them weekly.
How to treat
| Method | How it works | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking-water product (fluralaner) | The mite dies after feeding on the bird | Only as prescribed by a vet; in the EU it is authorized with a zero-day egg withdrawal |
| Acaricides for the building | Treating cracks and surfaces | Only products registered for poultry houses; respect the time before birds go back in |
| Silica-based powders | Damage the mite’s outer layer so it dries out | Work slowly; dusty — protect your lungs |
| Heating the empty house | Mites die under sustained heat | Only in an empty building, and the heat must reach the cracks |
One treatment isn’t enough: mite eggs survive. Treat again after 7 days to kill the newly hatched mites before they start laying.
Don’t use mite products for dogs, cats or garden plants: they have no egg or meat withdrawal period, and residues end up in your produce. Record the withdrawal period after any treatment — more in the withdrawal period article.
How to keep it out
- removable, smooth perches without cracks; nest boxes that are easy to wash;
- new birds through quarantine and inspection (on biosecurity);
- no crates, trays or boxes from other farms without washing;
- a full wash and disinfection between flocks, with cracks sealed (step by step);
- weekly trap checks in summer.
Treatments in your records
In EggPulse a treatment goes into the veterinary log with the product and its withdrawal period, and the app reminds you when eggs and meat can be sold again. Laying rate and flock inspections sit alongside, so you can see whether the treatment worked.
