Chicken bald back

[Eggshell]

Sorry - another beginner's question. I've just put woodchips down in my eglu run and it looks beautiful - much nicer than the muddy patch that the chickens were creating. But I'm wondering if this makes them more vulnerable to red mites now. I know that the plastic houses are better than wooden ones for not harbouring mites, but will the run's woodchips make just as good a home for red mites?

[Beantree]

No, they won't live outside in the wood chips Eggshell. Too exposed to the elements, sunlight and the chickens who will eat them if they can see them. They like a dark secure dry place during the day near to where their next meal is. They will hide in the wood shavings of the coop bedding though, plastic or creosoted wood (even freshly done) coop. If your chickens start digging up old bedding (they like digging in new bedding anyway), worth looking for red mite. Wipe a tissue through the bedding and any red streaks are squashed mites.