Mites or Lice- is there anything I can do?

[Duckpip]

Exactly....unless they welcome your assistance, I'd just leave it alone.

I might have to, I'm not sure there's anything I can do.

Like seeing them on the birds skin or crawling on the roost after dark?

I haven't actually seen any mites, but one of them has a bald spot and kinda ragged looking vent feathers, and again, they're scratching themselves a lot, which is concerning.

 

[SourRoses]

You just need to find some stubbornness in yourself.

I'd broach it like this, with several of the involved family members present...

"Hey, so, I did some research, and found out the housing for the chickens is not up to standard. They also have skin parasites and need treatment. Since this is in my backyard, I would be the one held liable for animal abuse. Please expand their housing and treat them for the medical issue, or I will have to ask you to move them so I'm not responsible for it."

And when they argue or try to brush you off, just repeat "animal abuse" (because that's what it is). When people realize you're not going to let stuff go, they eventually ask themselves what they can do to make the problem go away. That's why I mentioned stubbornness.

Only you can decide whether an animals wellbeing matters enough to you for you to stand up for them. If you do nothing, they don't matter. If you do something, they do matter. That's the decision you are stuck with making.


P.S. For pete's sake people, stop recommending DE which is only going to abrade their lungs.

 

[1rooroo4u]

I have been using DE for the past 40 years without absolute "0" issues!

I have chickens that are 10 years old, and while they no longer produce eggs, they are still very healthy birds and they have been lightly dusted with DE their whole life.

I won't argue my point, I just know what has and does work for me.