Numerous insecticides are available for treatment. On occasion this mite also affects turkeys, pigeons, canaries, and wild birds. The chicken mite feeds on blood, is about 0.7 mm in length, and has a distinctly red color following a blood meal. This mite lives and lays its eggs in cracks and crevices of the poultry house environment and only feeds on the host at night. Since this mite feeds on blood affected birds appear anemic, droopy, weak, pale, and may even die in some cases.
Diagnosis is made by identifying the mite.
Flocks are treated by cleaning and disinfecting the building following the application of an approved miticide to the affected birds. It infects chickens, turkeys, and gamebirds. Unlike the chicken mite, the northern fowl mite spends its entire life cycle on the infected host. A complete life cycle takes only 5 days so the number of parasites on one bird can reach astronomical proportions quickly. This mite is a blood feeder and severely parasitized birds will be anemic, weak, and have significant drops in egg production.