This month, every poultry owners nightmare has become our tiny red reality. Red mite has struck!

As much as you think it is never going to happen to you, it seems a regime of hygine and rigorous checks are not always a deterrent. Now the blighters are here, it’s been a gloves off fight to keep the birds healthy.

We instantly disinfected the entire coup and stocked the shelves with red mite powder, applying a generous coating to everything in sight every other day.

We haven’t seen a mite now for two weeks but the attacks had taken their tole. The birds have been left looking scruffy and upsettingly anemic. As their health has returned so has the spring in their step but I fear the war is far from over.

Let’s hope a spell of cold weather will send the mites scurrying to their tiny red graves.

Stay tuned for the latest on the saga!