Insect Pests On Chooks
In general there are two nasty pests on chooks and cage birds: the red mite & lice.
Red mites live in cracks in nest boxes, walls, perches, etc. & emerge at night in their thousands to suck the blood of your birds. They vary from pinprick to pinhead in size. You can spray the inside of the walls, perches and nest boxes with Coopex or Yates Insect and Mite Killer (Natrasoap)
Your vet can sell you some Ivermectin to dab on the birds or to go into their drinking water.
Some bird breeders use diatomaceous earth to kill mites and lice – it looks like powdered lime and is available from specialist bird shops.
These red mites are the nasty ones that spread from feral birds’ nests in rooves to attack people. Coopex spray should beat them.
I’d better go – I’m starting to itch all over.
Hooroo, Don
