Red poultry mite
Meaning, Impact and Key Challenges
The red poultry mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) is a tiny parasite with the following characteristics:
- Size: only 0.6 – 1 mm – barely visible to the naked eye
- Color: gray-white during the day, bright red after feeding on blood (hence the name)
- 8 legs – it belongs to the arachnids, not insects
- Oval shaped with a flat body
- During the day, it hides in cracks and crevices in the coop – at night, it infests the chickens
The problem escalates quickly
- Reproduction in 7–12 days
- Barely visible – active at night
- Infestation spreads uncontrollably
Impact on animal health and performance
A severe infestation is often associated with itching, skin irritation and pain and can cause unrest in the flock. In pronounced cases, anaemia can occur. In practice, correlations with the following factors are observed:
- Reduced performance such as egg laying rate and lower weight gain
- Weakening of the body's immune system, i.e. increased risk of infections or bacteria, increased mortality
Transmission routes between flocks
Via transport crates, clothing, wild birds, conveyor technology. Operational procedures, hygiene and monitoring play a central role in prevention.
Limits of conventional control
- Application in occupied barns often not possible / sometimes waiting times for meat or eggs
- Possible development of resistance, user risks for the respiratory tract
- The problem always returns
Classification of our products
Effective, practical strategies with a systematic approach – complemented by barn hygiene, for rapid and immediate mite reduction
