Do you like chickens and do you plan to raise them? You must be afraid of red lice. These are insects that feed on the blood of chickens. They weaken, and even kill the latter. There are various ways to avoid this scourge. Discover them.
Red lice are harmful insects. This is a mite that feeds on the blood of chickens. It is the first enemy of volatile habitats. It measures less than a millimeter. However, its size can multiply by 4 or 5 when it has crossed hens.
When temperatures are pleasant, lice reproduce quickly. They lay up to 300 eggs per week. Moreover, these will become adults in just 7 days.
For lifestyle, red lice hide in the dark during the day. It is sometimes high up, in the cavities of the chicken coop and between the slats. Thus, they only come out at night to feed.
In general, red mites arrive in the poultry house through birds. Indeed, the latter bring the lice when they peck in the bowls of the hens. It also happens when the birds snort over the water bowl or when they shake their feathers on the roofs of the chicken coop.
The lice then look for hiding places in the chicken coop. They will then reproduce at great speed.
It is quite difficult to recognize the presence of red mites, especially if you do not clean your chicken coop often.
To do this, you can start by checking the condition of your hens. If you find that they are weakening, there may be red lice. So do an inspection in the chicken coop to find their hiding place. Just taking a look is not enough. You have to inspect the different corners of the chicken coop. Lift the straw. Check the perch as well as the boards.
To do this, place a folded white paper handkerchief on the perch. You can also take a look in chicken droppings for blood-soaked red ones. You can also check if he has red lice droppings in the chicken coop. They are like wildfire or a mixture of pepper and salt.
Red mites settle in damp, dark places. You will see them near the hens' roost. Thus, you will find them on the roof, in the manure trays, in the laying area as well as in the wooden interstices in the habitat.
To see them better, do an inspection at night.
Red lice are a real danger to chickens. When they attack the latter during the night, they become stressed.
Red lice also weaken hens. This can even cause anemia, because the red blood cells of the hens will decrease. Due to exhaustion, red mites can even kill chickens. This appears especially in the youngest or sick subjects.
These insects also cause negative impacts on the laying of your poultry. Indeed, the hens will lay less, especially in spring. In the same way, the eggs will change in appearance. There are spots on the eggs or discoloration of the yolk.
From an aesthetic point of view, the hens will lose their feathers. This happens in the legs and neck.
To get rid of these harmful insects, here are some tips.
There are many natural products to kill red lice. For example, you can use wood ash. This will disturb them. They will then switch sides. In addition, wood ash is very popular with hens. They like to roll in it.
On the other hand, you can use diatomaceous earth. This gray powder is to be dispersed on the fly in the habitat of the hens. Ultra abrasive, it will kill red lice. For more efficiency, you can disperse it in strategic places in the chicken coop (on the boards, on the perch, etc.). Nevertheless, this product is a bit expensive.
White vinegar will also help you get rid of red lice. You can pour a few drops into the various corners of the chicken coop.
A plant litter is also a good tip to eliminate these mites. In this case, fern, lavender or tansy is an excellent choice.
You can also use real cade oil for an effective result. To do this, take a brush and apply a little oil to the roost of the hens.
You can also use chemicals to kill red lice. For this, you can opt for insecticides, products to be diluted in water or sprays. Just be sure to protect yourself and the chickens before using them. You can let the hens out for a while and prevent them from going back and forth in the coop.
Lice traps are also effective in getting rid of these harmful insects. Indeed, you must place a wrapper of cake paper in the chicken coop. This will serve as a haven for lice. After 2 or 3 days, you can burn the paper in the middle of the day.
There are also other lice traps such as a hiding place on the perch, to be discovered on mes-poules.com.
Androlis are also lice, but they do not attack your chickens. On the contrary, they will destroy red lice. Indeed, they feed on the larvae of red lice. By introducing them into the chicken coop, the number of red lice colonies will be reduced to a minimum. However, when using this technique, avoid using chemicals in parallel.
