Dust or spray Chick? Very young.

[sunniejo]

I have two new chicks just purchased on Friday. One has started biting under one wing and picking at her belly with her beak. I brought them home from the ranch store and straight into a container with straw . Can I dust her with anything or spray such a young chick with parasite spray. Is there an age minimum for such treatments? I don't even know if there is real problem as of yet.

 

[dawg53]

Did you visually inspect them for lice/mites, close up? Lice are usually white in color and you can see them crawling around. Mites look like pepper and are slow movers, if they move at all.
Chicks normally pick and preen their fluff in preparation for growing feathers. It actually irritates them somewhat but it's part of the process.