Mange in Chickens

In harsh economical times, keeping chickens is a viable and cost-effective option of producing eggs. These feathered friends are proving ever popular among people struggling to meet their rising groceries bill or those wishing to supplement their income with the sale of eggs. Chicken owners should always be on guard for mange, which can devastate a flock of chickens and cause a reduction in egg numbers.

  1. Mange

    • The skin of animals is prone to a host of parasitic infestations, and one of the most common ones is mange. The condition is well diagnosed in canines, but the highly contagious mites that cause mange can occur in any pet bird or avian breed. A mite infestation should be eliminated instantly before it causes anemia and kills chicks.

    Red Mites

    • Known as the silent killers, red mites are one of the most common causes of mange in chickens. They crawl around a chicken's skin and feathers and feed by the moon; the bird is most restless and itchy at night. Red mites spend one to two hours taking their fill of the host's blood. Female mites then retire into the cracks and crevices of the chicken's coup or cage to mate and lay eggs so the cycle can continue indefinitely. Red mites thrive in warm conditions; the optimum time for infestations is during the summer months.

    Signs and Symptoms

    • Although visible to the naked eye, red mites are difficult for the inexperienced to spot. The simplest form of diagnosis is to cover the chicken's cage with a white sheet, and if it is littered with tiny brown or red specks in the morning, red mites are present. Chickens with red mites will show signs of feather damage through skin irritation, excessive preening and ruffling of feathers. Chickens will appear restless, egg production will decrease and eggs may be spotted with blood.

    Treatment

    • In cases of mange caused by red mites, both the chicken and its environment is treated to successfully neutralize the infestation and prevent reinfection. Insecticides containing permethrin are the most common method to killing the mites in a chicken. They are sometimes used in conjunction with dust baths, which is the chicken's natural method of dealing with external parasites. To sanitize the coup or cage, thoroughly spray it with a general insecticide. Natural remedies can be used to deal with a red mite infestation. Garlic is a natural insecticide and is time honored in its ability to ward off blood suckers of all shapes and sizes. Crush a couple of fresh cloves into the chicken's water, and the red mite will be appalled by the taste of the bird's blood and smell of its skin.