Is it the Texas heat or parasites?

[GuppyTJ]

Thanks for the pics and your set up looks just fine. Simple is always best.

I caught what the other responder said... in our original post, you said you saw black dirt on the ends of the feathers? By ends, I thought you meant the end farthest from the skin. If you meant closest to the skin, then it could very well be mites. Here's a good article with pics and you can also google images (vs. web) for additional pics.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html

Do you have Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens or The Chicken Health Handbook by chance? Both have info on how to deal with mites (there are different kinds with different solutions) and other parasites as well. I don't know the answer to your question about puppy flea bath effect on chickens. I'd probably google this too and see what I can find that others have/have not done. Try "chicken flea bath" stuff like that.

Guppy

 

[Dire Wolf]

I should have said the outer edges of the feathers, sorry. I'll look that up, I don't have those books, but I'm going into town today, I'll see if the library has them. Thanks for the info.

Thanks for the encouragement, I was worried that I was doing it wrong after reading about some of the coops people have on here. lol

 

[GuppyTJ]

No worries, but if it's the outside farthest from the skin on the feathers, that's not mites. Mites are near the skin.

In terms of the books, I hope you find them at the library. Strangely, my library didn't have them, although they had several other chicken books. I ended up getting mine used on Amazon.

Best of luck to you, nice to "chat" with you,
Guppy

 

[Dire Wolf]

Nice chatting with you too!