Chicken has black all over head

[ferocious]

Hi - two chickens have this black stuff all over their heads and wattles. Around eyes too and when I looked closely I saw some whitsh looking things. Could they have lice or mites or something?

Thanks for any advice - i've had chickens for about 4 years now but have never seen any illnesses until now. Last Week I had a sick one who seems to be better now and I just noticed this black stuff yesterday on the other 2. The one who got sick does not have it.

Also I kind of wondered if it could be because I gave them yogurt and it gets all over their heads while they eat it - then maybe they went for a dust bath and it got dirty? But that would not account for the other whitish things I just noticed today.

K : )

 

[dawg53]

It looks like mites.

 

[Weehopper]

It would help if you could pick them up and get a good look at what you are dealing with. You would know pretty quick if it was mites or brusing, or what. Is it bumpy, or smooth? Anything burrowing into the skin?