How do you know if your chickens have Red Mite problems? You will notice two things; firstly your egg production will start to go down as the chickens need to replace the lost blood taken by the Red Mites (which means less energy to produce eggs), and secondly the chickens will start to peck each other where they see the infestation - usually just at the base of the tail feathers.

At this point the problem is likely to be causing stress and is getting serious. Keep a close eye out for any pecking behaviour, and also any bald, bloody patches on your birds.

Total Mite Kill Ready-to-use is ideal for the hobby breeder with small chicken houses. It is a dual-working product - a fast working insecticide with rapid knockdown and a multi-purpose cleaner too:

• Kills mites, fleas, lice and other flying and crawling insects
• Cleans and disinfect poultry housing
• Kills bacteria, virus, yeast, fungi and algae (i.e. E.coli, Salmonella, Listeria and Ps Aeruginosa)
• Penetrates deep into the deep cracks, crevices and corners that parasites commonly use as harbourages

Use in the house, pay special attention to cracks and crevices particularly around the ends of perches. If you have a felt roof to your chicken house you may find that the mites stay between the felt and the roof which can make it difficult to control them. Keep at it, you will usually win.