The difference between young and adult red mites (in birds and chickens)
The most effective way to control red mites is to treat young (larval) and older (adult) mites differently from each other. This is because young and older red mites are different in behavior. Young red mites are in nests in the coop and older red mites are often on the chickens/birds. The young lice in particular are more vulnerable and therefore can be reached with an environmental spray. Older, larger red mites will walk over the spray more easily and have a harder shell. Therefore, it is important to use both a spray and a food supplement when problems with red mites occur.
What is the difference between young and adult red mites
Young red mites are the eggs and larvae that have just hatched. These young mites do not yet consume the blood of chickens/birds, so they are still white in color and do not cause a problem yet. Because they do not yet eat and are fully grown, these young mites are somewhat more fragile than adult mites. Also, these red mites are located in and around the red mite nest in the chicken coop. Therefore, you can deal with these red mites only by treating the environment, while adult red mites can be dealt with only through the chicken.
How to treat young and old mites separately?
Young red mites can be treated with an environmental spray of silica and an adhesive. This spray is used to spray the coop where the red mites move from nest to chicken. The spray acts like sandpaper, causing the young red mites to rub their bellies open and dry out. The young red mites therefore do not get the chance to get to the chicken to drink blood. Spray the coop again every 4 weeks for the most optimal effect. Adult red mites have a harder shell and stand higher on their legs, this allows them to walk over the spray and they do not scrape their bellies open. An environmental spray is therefore not suitable for treating adult red mites. By giving chickens an internal nutritional supplement based on herbs and essential oils, you make the chickens’ blood indigestible for the adult red mites. As a result, red mites can no longer reproduce and panic because the blood is not digested. Because of this panic, adult red mites show up during the day which will cause the chicken to eat the red mites.
Conclusion
If you are dealing with a red mites problem, then you cannot avoid using the food supplement in addition to the spray. This is because otherwise you mainly control the young red mites and not the old red mites. Old red mites lay eggs and in no time you will have young red mites again. Therefore, always combine different products with each other for the most efficient approach against red mites.
Due to laws and regulations, we are not allowed to mention which products are involved here. For questions, you can always contact us.
