Why an oral supplement is essential in the fight against blood mites in chickens
Blood mites do not drink blood from the chicken daily; the adult blood mite goes to the chicken every 6 days to suck blood. This blood is essential for blood mites to survive and reproduce. Without blood, the blood mite cannot reproduce and will die. The chicken's blood is therefore the key to success!
Red mites
14 June '22 • 3 min reading time
Make blood indigestible for blood mites
By giving a herbal supplement to the chickens through feed and/or drinking water, you ensure that the blood of the chicken becomes indigestible for blood mites. Blood mites get clogged from this blood and cannot use it to reproduce. Since blood mites cannot reproduce, the population will continue to decline. Another advantage is that blood mites panic after drinking this blood from the chicken. After about 5/6 days, the blood mite actually wants to go back to the chicken to drink blood, but the blood mite is still full, causing it to panic. Due to the panic, the blood mite will show itself during the day, and then the chicken will also see the blood mite. The blood mite then becomes a tasty snack for the chicken, which contributes to the control of blood mites.
Through the feed or through the drinking water of chickens?
There are several internal products on the market that can be used for red mites in chickens. The first choice is already: do you go for chemical or for natural? We always prefer natural because: It is safe for humans and animals It is safe for the environment Eggs remain safe to eat No resistance is built up. Additionally, one can choose to mix a supplement into the feed. These products contain herbs and essential oils (Echinacea, astragalus, uncaria, gentian, thyme, citronellol, citronellal) that make the blood indigestible. It is a convenient application and can be used by any chicken keeper. Another option is to add a supplement to the drinking water. Such a product is also based on herbs (echinacea, oregano, rosehip, ginseng) and ensures that the blood becomes indigestible for red mites. Another benefit is that the product for drinking water also aids in recovery after a red mite infection.
Control of red mites requires more steps
Adding a supplement is just one step towards controlling red mites. With a supplement, you only address the stages that actually suck blood from the chicken. You cannot reach the larvae and newly hatched red mites through the chicken; you need to address them through the environment. Therefore, regularly clean the coop with plenty of water, lime the walls, spray the coop with an environmental spray, use red mite traps, and provide dust baths. The more steps you take (for prevention), the more manageable red mites become. Completely eradicating red mites is impossible, neither through chemical products nor through natural means. Therefore, always hang a red mite test under the perch for a quick insight into how many red mites are present in the coop.
Tips:
Check the blood mite test twice a week during the peak season of blood mites (April - September). Use removable blood mite trays, which make it harder for adult blood mites to reach the chickens. If chickens are supplemented with vegetables, foraging around and/or drinking from puddles, then add the supplement both to the feed and to the drinking water. Otherwise, there is a chance that the dosage may not be high enough due to the supplementary feeding. You can use a weed burner to thoroughly check all the crevices in the coop and burn nests and eggs. Create a dust bath for chickens using bath sand made of uniform minerals. This sticks best between the feathers and therefore has the best effect. Chickens can also eat this mineral sand, which benefits the quality of the eggshell. Do not apply any chemical substances through the drinking water of chickens without proper guidance! This should only be done by a veterinarian due to the risk of overdosing. These chemical products can end up in the eggs through the chickens, posing potential health risks.
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