Bugs On my chicken??

I didn't know where else to post this, so here's the story:

I was washing my chicken's behind area today (as if that wasn't bad enough) because it was all covered in poo that had dropped on his feathers. I was worried that there was so much and I didn't want bugs or flies or infections and today was the first warm day in a Long time.
So.. after much gross work of hosing and using a paper towel to break up clumps; I got most of it off but decided that the area was too tender to really scrub at close to the skin and i started cutting off the feathers that were holding poo. (I don't know if this was a good move or not) but I found tons of yellow little bugs crawling on his skin and biting him.
Close to the skin there was what seemed to be moldy poo, but upon closer inspection was eggs. Tons, AND I MEAN TONS, of eggs all on the base of the feathers in the area containing poo. The rest of him looked fine from what I could see, not that he helped me look.
I don't know what they are, but they seemed only to be around his poo and I want to get rid of them.

Sorry this was so long- I tohught the details might help.

Hi. try putting more info in your title you posted. i wish i could help you but, we are new to this whole chicken thing kinda. i am very curious what your roo has. good luck. you are in good hands here at byc. this site has helped me alot. hope your buddy is ok.

It sounds like Lice.
Buy Sevin powder and powder him up good.
You can get it at a local hardware store or Home Depot in the garden section.

These lice will not transfer to people, but your chicken can die from them.

You will have to treat all of your chickens, the areas they dustbathe in, and your coop.

Permithrin spray. Those are mites. After spraying with permithrin on the butt back and underneath wings, hold the chicken by the feet upside down and dust her good, under wings, on butt, on back and tail feathers with 5% Sevin dust. Spray every nook and cranny of your coops and nest with the permethrin spray. If your chicken has them real bad then your coops and nests are infested and they will just be right back on the chicken if you do not sanitize coops.

Are they maggots? or lice? How big? Is there any place where the skin is open?

Try Diatamatious Earth (Fossil Shell) Not sure on the spelling.It's a Natural pesticide to kill bugs external and internaly.It's a powder so take some and rub it all over your chicken and put some in the feed.You may need to do it several times till there completly gone.You can find it at your local feed store or if they don't have it check ebay.No kidden! That's where I got mine.I use it for our cats for fleas and dewormer to.This is the safest way to get rid of bugs because it wont harm your animals.Hope this helps and good luck!!

I would say lice. Have a look through the feathers and I'm sure you will find lots of them running around under the feathers. They like to lay their eggs near the vent and also near/under the wing.

We had to take on the care of 40 hens that belonged to an elderly friend. Her's were so badly riddled with lice that 2 died from them. They were so incredible skinny. Apparently they can develop a disorder where the constant movement of the lice on their skin actually keeps the chickens awake almost constantly. They lose weight and condition because of the immense stress of not getting enough sleep.

Our vet recommended to us the powder to dust them with, that strangely enough is used primarily on horses?

Sounds like lice to me too. If you get Sevin...make sure to get 5%. I had the same problem. I gave my chicken a shower once a week, sprayed her with lice spray and dusted her with Sevin after she was dry. The lice and eggs were killed, but I never could get the dead eggs off of her skin. Good luck!