Mite infestation in chickens - This is how you can recognize a mite infestation

If the mite burden in the henhouse increases, the chickens will quickly notice. Even though chickens are good at hiding pain and suffering, their behavior reveals a lot about their well-being. A careful chicken owner can quickly detect changes through behavioral observation, even before the chicken shows any external symptoms. The article discusses the external symptoms. "Chicken Keeping - Recognizing and Combating Red Mites" explains this. These can be visually identified on the bird or measured by its performance. However, recognizing changes in chicken behavior requires some practice and time. Serious changes in behavior are easier to detect than minor deviations in behavior patterns. However, it is the slight changes that provide early warning. The more frequently the birds are observed, the easier it is to detect problems such as red mite infestation. This article takes a closer look at three mild to severe behavioral changes that could indicate a mite infestation.

Sleepless in the chicken coop – How the red mite robs your chickens of sleep

Red mite infestation is often overlooked, as no mites are found on chickens during the day. However, this is a misconception. The mites crawl onto the chickens at night and suck their blood. Severe infestations can even kill the chickens. At this point, a change in chicken behavior occurs. They groom themselves significantly more at night, when they should be sleeping. However, this usually goes unnoticed by the owner, as very few chickens are in the coop at night.

Scientifically proven sleep deprivation caused by the red bird mite

In a 2005 study by O. Kilpinen and colleagues, groups of chickens with and without mite infestation were examined and changes in behavior were recorded. They observed that chickens with mite infestation groomed themselves more frequently at night than those without. At the beginning of the experiments, the chickens in both groups groomed themselves between 5 and 29% at night. This decreased to 1-5% in the chickens without mite infestation, and in the group with mite infestation, grooming increased to up to 50%. Even though only a few chickens were observed in this experiment, the scientific results show how severely the chickens are bothered by the red mite and how they react to it. In addition, the video recordings showed the significant stress the chickens were under caused by the mites.

This is how extreme chickens can react to the nightly sucking by the red poultry mite

Chickens are very clever animals and they too notice when and where they are being sucked dry by the red mite. Especially in the case of a severe infestation, this can lead to them no longer wanting to go back into the coop in the evening. Chicken owners are often desperate and overwhelmed by this situation. They want to protect their darlings from martens and foxes and keep them safe in the house. But for the chickens, this is precisely where the suffering begins every night. To escape this, they sit on the house or in nearby bushes and trees. Often, the well-intentioned animals are caught and put in the coop. But this extreme change in the chicken's behavior is a clear signal. It often doesn't take long before the first birds are completely sucked dry and die. The refusal to go into the chicken coop should under no circumstances be ignored.

Tip for your observation: Before bringing the chickens into the house, thoroughly inspect your coop. Pay particular attention to cracks and wooden elements, and follow all the tips from the article " Chickens in Spring – Identifying and Preventing Mites ."

Aggression and feather pecking - When the red mite drives your chicken crazy

Severe sleep deprivation leaves its mark on both us humans and our chickens. It not only makes us easily irritable and aggressive, but it can have serious consequences for chickens. Due to the mites' nightly feeding, chickens suffer from constant stress and sleep deprivation.

When aggression goes beyond the pecking order

In a stable group without frequent new arrivals, the pecking order is stable after a single clarification. Only when high-ranking hens become ill can lower-ranking hens try to move up the pecking order. If aggression towards conspecifics and even feather pecking is observed in a stable group, this is a sign of red mite infestation. Light feather pecking among each other can occur even at night. Low-ranking hens in particular suffer greatly from the mites, as they have the worst sleeping places. These hens should be given special attention. They are pecked most often and, of course, if their feathers are itchy, they will happily tolerate it. However, this can lead to severe feather damage and even cannibalism due to injuries caused.

Effects of the red mite on infected animals - From model to plucked chicken

Sudden bald patches in otherwise beautifully feathered chickens are therefore a warning sign. Since the red mite particularly thrives in summer temperatures, special care is required here. The symptom of feather damage is the result of a change in chicken behavior. Such a mite infestation can be quite stressful for chickens. Itchy feathers and lack of sleep are just some of the consequences. The mites also cause anemia, making the chickens weak and unwell.

Tip for your observation: Check your hens' plumage regularly. Pay particular attention to the plumage on their necks, backs, underbelly, and cloaca. But be careful: If you have a rooster in your flock, he could also be responsible for damage to the back feathers.

Neurotic dust bathing is a problem

Every chicken loves dust bathing. It's a behavior performed for feather care and a sign of well-being. However, there's a difference between normal body hygiene in chickens and "neurotic" dust bathing. In this case, the chicken no longer feels comfortable, but is trying to combat extreme itching caused by the red mite. This goes beyond the normal frequency of daily dust bathing and can be identified by the following characteristic.

The daily rhythm is the key to understanding your chicken's behavior

Many chicken behaviors are performed in a specific, diurnal rhythm. Dust bathing is one of them. It is a behavior that chickens perform primarily in the afternoon. A sharp increase in dust bathing in the morning can be a sign that the chickens are suffering from a red mite infestation. They then try to relieve the itching as quickly as possible through intensive and frequent dust bathing. The above-mentioned study by Kilpinen also observed that the hens examined groomed themselves and scratched their heads more frequently. This, combined with a change in dust bathing behavior, is a clear sign that the coop should be checked for mites.

Tip for your observation: Go to the coop early and observe what most of your hens do after getting up. If many of the birds are busy dust bathing, scratching, and grooming themselves, this is an indication of a red mite infestation.

Accurate behavioral observations help to detect an infestation with the red poultry mite at an early stage

By carefully and regularly observing chickens, you can learn a lot about their daily routine and natural behavior. This makes it easier to observe changes in behavior and become aware of problems. This allows for early detection and treatment of red mite infestations.