Help! Lice or mites or something else?

[LPannone]

My first forum and new chicken owner. I noticed my chicks trying to dustbathe on a towel (not outside yet) which at first seemed fine. Then today they wanted to do it more than usual and I noticed black specs around the towel and in their feathers. The black specks were not moving and it looked more like black dirt specs. They are scratching their face and have ruffled feathers on occasion. Not seeing eggs or moving creatures so what the heck is going on?

 

[Poultry parent]

hmm i'm not sure, try to get a good look at one of the specks on a paper towel under a bright light, keep checking the chicks, parasites are very fast

 

[Poultry parent]

also most external parasites live around the vent so look there

 

[chickens really]

Provide them with a dust bath area.
Are they still living indoors? Get them outside and they will care for themselves in the way of cleaning themselves.
I use sand and during the summer add ash from my fire pit...Keeps the crawlers away.