Preventing blood lice in chickens
Although it is never 100% possible to rule out that you will still get an infection, prevention of red mites in chickens is always better than cure! There are many ways to prevent an infection with red mites. We will discuss a number of possibilities here.
- Prevention is better than cure. When red mites are observed, their numbers can grow enormously within a few days. A red mite lays about 8 eggs per day, making them almost unstoppable. Preventative control, early in the season (early spring) is therefore important.
- Use predatory mites, they eat all the blood lice. You can put these out in the cage in the spring. Wait until it is at least 15 degrees outside. Do not use chemicals if you also use predatory mites.
- Use “floating” perches so that the blood lice cannot climb up the leg of the perch. You can make floating perches by means of wires on the ceiling, for example. Apply some Vaseline to the edges of the perch, the lice will stick to it.
- Make sure the cage is sealed so that no other strange birds can fly in.
- Use dry, clean litter in the cage. Red mites will nest in old, damp litter sooner than in new litter. Mix this with pieces of tobacco , red mites do not like this.
- Red mites become active especially in warm weather, it is important to clean the cage more often during warmer periods.
- Use of hemexcide diatomaceous earth in the form of a dust bath , chickens bathe in the diatomaceous earth and take it to their perches. The remaining blood lice die.
- Add garlic extract to the chickens’ drinking water and food. This will cause garlic to enter the birds’ blood, which will make the blood lice not like it. Unfortunately, the eggs will start to smell of garlic if you use this.
- Use whitewash to keep the shelter dry, as red mites like a warm, moist environment
- Make your own test stick to detect blood lice! The blood mites will retreat after feeding on the chicken
and look for a place to sleep. Fold up a piece of cardboard and place it under the perch, check it daily for the presence of blood lice. You can now see whether and to what extent there are blood lice present.
Mechanical means
Mechanical agents leave a clear layer on the treated surfaces in your animal shelter. This layer works for mites as a kind of sandpaper, as soon as they walk over it they will rub themselves to death. In addition, these products have a suffocating effect on the mites, because their pores through which they breathe become blocked. Therefore, to prevent blood lice, use hemexcide diatomaceous earth in the form of a dust bath. This has no effect on the behavior or health of your animals and you can simply eat the eggs.
Natural based resources
Besides sprays there are also a few very simple old tricks that help very well. Placing tobacco stems in the coop or chicken nesting box has proven to be effective in preventing an infection.
Chemical agents
Chemical agents are not used preventively; the effect of these agents is only short-lived.
If you need advice on which products to use, you can always contact us. This can be done by phone or by email.
Please note: are there already blood lice in your coop? Do not wait too long, this can cause chickens enormous stress and anemia. Give the chickens extra minerals, such as our minerals Herberals and actively work to get rid of the lice.
Waarom Bloedluis Voorkomen Zo Belangrijk is
Bloedluis bij kippen is een veelvoorkomend probleem dat je beter voorkomt dan bestrijdt. Wanneer bloedluizen eenmaal aanwezig zijn in het kippenhok, kunnen ze zich razendsnel vermenigvuldigen. Daarom is het slim om vroegtijdig maatregelen te nemen en bloedluis voorkomen serieus te nemen.
Hoe Zie Je Bloedluis Bij Kippen?
Je herkent bloedluis bij kippen aan onrustig gedrag, bleke lellen en kammen, en minder eiproductie. Ook zie je soms kleine, rode of grijze stipjes in het kippenhok, vooral rondom de zitstokken en naden. Controleer regelmatig het hok om bloedluis in een vroeg stadium te ontdekken.