Did you know that a flock’s social hierarchy is quietly displayed on the roosting bar every night?
Dominant birds naturally secure the safest, warmest spots in the center, leaving the lower ranking members to roost toward the outer edges. While this is normal flock behavior, it has important health implications especially when it comes to parasites.
Poultry red mites tend to harbor where the roosting bars attach to the coop structure. Since these nocturnal parasites are slow moving and only active for a few hours each night, they rarely travel far. Consequently, the birds roosting at the edges become an effortless target.
If you notice a lower ranking bird looking a bit pale or struggling to maintain condition, it might not just be a pecking order issue, they could be bearing the brunt of a mite infestation. We recommend checking the ends of your roosts at night with a torch and a piece of white kitchen towel, wipe underside of the roost and check. You won’t see mites during the day (unless infestation is really serious), 9-10pm is a good time for your detective work.
(Please note that traditional roosting hierarchy logic simply does not work for breeds that live in their own la-la land with unicorns and fairies.)
