We have red mite in the hen houses. Yeuchhhhhh!!!! These are tiny mites that are white, almost translucent and measure less than half a millimetre across. When they have just fed on your hen's blood at night, they are bright red - hence the name. They breed at a speed that is unbelievable. When you put your hand in to collect the eggs your arm comes out covered in the things. Try picking off something that is almost too small to see... I am itching just typing about them. We have dusted the hens with red mite powder and are in the middle of pressure washing the houses, scrubbing them out with Jeyes fluid and doing what we can. Poor hens!

Seems to be a lot of red mites about. Must be a good year for them. The horrible things can live in the ground for 35-40 weeks without feeding. Bleuccchh!!!!