[brick22]

Thanks to everone that has helped so far but it seems my red mite situation is getting worse, I have completed all the jobs below but today I still found blood spots on one of my girls eggs, they have actually got a little worse not better. They always appear on just one of my 2 chickens eggs.

I have treated the entire coop with Ficam W
I have painted the entire inside with DE
I have stripped the felt roofing and replaced with Onduline sheets

I haven't seen any mites throughout the whole process, we have even looked inside at night with a torch.

As its only the eggs from one chicken could I be missing something?

Thank you so much in advance for any help.

[joyfull]

ok try getting some frontline spray and part both girls feathers between their shoulder blades and give a short sharp burst of spray.

When you cleaned out your coop did you do it on the same ground or move it to hard standing? If you did it on the ground the redmite could have fallen onto the ground and then crawl back up (think incy wincy spider  ).

[brick22]

Thanks joyfull, yup moved the coop when I treated it, I did frontline Tuesday but did it again yesterday just to be sure. Again this morning she laid an egg with faint bloodspots, they were fainter then the day before, again with a bit of gentle scrubbing they come off. Its really baffling as my other girl lays completly clean eggs every time.

[kimmcb]

Hi brick 22 - it may not be red mite at all. How young is the hen? It could be that she has burst a tiny blood vessel in the vent which is repairing itself day on day, hence the lessening of the blood. Has she shown any changes of behaviour that may indicate red mite, such as loss of energy, change in comb colour (going paler due to blood loss) and not wanting to be shut up at night? Red mite are a chicken keepers nightmare, but not all blood spots are down to them!

[brick22]

Sorry for such late reply, computer has been in the repairers getting a virus removed

The answer to your questions kimmcb
Has she shown any changes of behaviour that may indicate red mite, such as loss of energy - No
change in comb colour (going paler due to blood loss) - No
wanting to be shut up at night? - No
She seem a very happy healthy girl, she free ranges all day pecking at the ground and eating her pellets, there is still blood spots on her eggs but my other girls eggs have always been completely clear, I have still seen no eveidence of red mite in the coop and I have been repairing any spots with DE as it comes off.

If it is a tiny burst blood vessel would it take this long to repair (2 weeks)? Is there anything I can do to find out for sure? She has only been laying for about 2.5 weeks

Thank you so much.