Help! Chick self mutilating?!

[chickencrazy9]

Woke up to find this today on my 3 week old chick. It looks like she's self mutilated on her tail. The others were picking on her too, so I've separated her from the rest.
Is there anything I should put on it, or do for it? I won't put her back until her feathers have grown back.
Thank you for the advice in advance!

 

[Chicken n such]

Hmm. I'm no expert, or even very knowledgable at this type of thing at all, but if it were my chicken, neosporin or something along the lines, then if you decide to put it back after it heals, put olive oil on it. They won't want to peck it anymore.

 

[Michael Apple]

Part the feathers with your hand as you look over the bird's body. Look for small clusters of eggs at the base of feathers. Look for straw colored bugs that move quickly along the skin. Look for little specks moving slowly under the vent. Do this at night with a flashlight when the bird is calm on the roost. If you see any of those things, you need to treat them. The bulbous oil gland from which the bird oils its feathers while preening is located where the raw, inflamed area is on your picture. Look at it and tell us what it looks like. To give relief on the area, use a hot spot spray labeled for dogs that contains natural ingredients like tea tree oil. Veterinarian's Best is a good brand. Chickens don't like the taste and it has healing properties.

 

[chickencrazy9]

So you think it may be lice?

 

[Michael Apple]

So you think it may be lice?

That is a possibility. Northern fowl mites, feather mites, and chicken mites can cause irritation too.
Here is some information about external parasites:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140