Happy Hens, Healthy Coop: Simple Ways to Prevent Mites and Lice!

With the heat rising, there is a larger risk of mites, lice and pests causing problems with chickens and their coops. The heat and humidity can make infestations much more likely. In any infestation you need to treat the chickens and their environment. Often just treating the bird can lead to reinfestation because mites and their eggs can remain hidden in the coop.

Treating The Coop

Mites tend to hide in the coop during the day and come out at night to feed. Firstly chickens need to be removed from the coop. Then all bedding and nesting material needs to be disposed of and kept away from the coop. The coop then needs disinfecting. A great product for this is Nettex Total Mite Kill Ready To Use Spray. This is to be used on the coops only. To reach the harder areas of the coops such as the crevices, the Nettex Total Mite Kill Aerosol Spray is great for reaching these tough areas. The treated areas then need to be ventilated and fully dried before the birds return to the coop. Fresh bedding then needs to be added back to the coop.

A great choice to use is Chicksoft! It is designed to give your chickens a cleaner, and more comfortable home. It is made from high-quality chopped straw, it offers natural antibacterial properties to help maintain a healthier coop environment

Treat The Chickens

Many mites can cause chickens to receive scaly legs. This needs to be treated to prevent mites from reinfesting. A great product for this is the Nettex Scaly Leg Spray. This product helps suffocate the mites, it is able to protect the legs and deter the mites from reinfesting. 

Apply this every 3 days for 3 weeks to ensure the mites have truly been eliminated, and to ensure the scabs have disappeared from under the scales.  Make sure to treat the whole flock, this helps prevent reinfestation. Continue to monitor the birds closely to check that the affected areas are healing properly.

Overall Prevention

To eliminate mites completely you can take prevention a step further. Make sure you are keeping the coop dry and clean, regularly replace damp bedding and frequently remove droppings. 

Provide dust bathing areas, chickens are able to use dust baths to help control reinfestation

Inspect your chickens regularly, make sure your checking under their wings, and on the skin for crawling insects, scabs and any irregular behaviour from their feathers such as damage or loss.

Overall, following these tips should help reduce the risk of infestations from mites, lice, and other unwanted pests. Maintaining good coop hygiene, regularly checking your flock, and treating any problems promptly will help keep chickens healthy and comfortable. These steps can also help eliminate existing issues, reduce the chance of reinfestation, and create a cleaner, safer environment for your birds.