How to get the BEST from your Hens
Bulletin #7
Common problems affecting Laying Hen Production
Managing Parasites on your farm
Significant problem affecting table egg production in Jamaica. The tropical fowl mite is a blood sucking arthropod (Ornithonyssus bursa) that can exist both on and off the host. It lays its eggs along the feather shaft and has a life cycle of 4 days. Detecting and monitoring the mite population level is an important factor for effective control. A minimum of 10 randomly selected birds should be examined for mites weekly. Infestation levels can be estimated by parting the bird's feathers to expose the skin and counting the mites that are immediately seen.
The following index can be used to estimate mite infestation levels:
5 mites counted = Bird may be carrying from 100 to 300 mites
6 mites counted = Bird may be carrying from 300 to 1,000 mites (light infestation)
7 mites counted = Bird may be carrying from 1,000 to 3,000 mites - small clumps of mites seen on skin and feathers (moderate infestation).
8 mites counted = Bird may be carrying from 3,000 to 10,000 mites - accumulation of mites on skin and feathers (moderate to heavy infestation).
9 mites counted = Bird may be carrying 10,000 to 32,000 or more mites – numerous large clumps of mites seen on skin and feathers; skin pocketed with scabs (heavy infestation).
Record Keeping
Keeping a record of all flock mortality and where possible the cause of death, medication used and treatment duration, observed symptoms, environmental conditions e.g. temperature and the result of veterinary intervention should be kept. These records will assist in troubleshooting flocks exhibiting poor performance.