2 week olds scratching their heads

[lambeke1]

I have 26 2wk old chicks. i put them in the coop at 5 days old. It is very secure and we check on them too much. They are growing like bad weeds. I noticed that they scratch their heads and pick at their feathers quite a bit. Is that normal or could they have lice or such? I'm new at raising chickens but I am really enjoying them so far. Oh, I have pine shavings in the coop.

 

[gritsar]

Some scratching is normal as they grow in feathers, which is itchy business. You can check for mites by using a flashlight. Go into their coop at night and pick a random chicken - or one you've seen scratching more than most. Push back the feathers behind the comb to view the skin. Mites will look like tiny flecks of pepper (can be black, white or red), crawling around. Also, check around the vent area for the same.