Is this normal?? What is wrong w/ my Silkie? Pic included

[Fiddlehead]

Hopefully the pic will be the best description, but in person it looks like sand stuck on her face and at the base of the feathers. The Silkie is about 2 months old. Is this from molting?

Thanks so much!

 

[crystalchik]

She has mites. That white stuff stuck to her feathers are the eggs. Treat her with 7-Dust, that will take care of the mites, but those eggs dont come out. They will either have to be pulled if your desperate or just wait for the feathers to fall out.

 

[Fiddlehead]

Eww! Only on her face? Thanks, is it catchy for humans? Thanks~

 

[Fiddlehead]

Please someone tell me if I should be concerned about it spreading to myself & kids!! Spent hours today dusting and spraying, bleaching and scrubbing. I had a few on me while I was treating the chickens, I saw them at the end of the chickens feathers. I am afraid they got in my hair. I have a baby, I am nervous now!

 

[For-The-Love-Of-Chickens]

They will crawl around on you and can bite you, but they won't like you. Just follow up treating the chickens with a good hot shower and immediately wash your clothing afterward.

 

[77horses]

Looks like lice to me, not mites. We had this same problem. Treat with Sevin dust and maybe follow-up (for a preventive) with DE (Diatomoseous Earth...sorry that is spelled wrong but it's something like that!

)...Then maybe give her a bath.

There's a lot of information about lice/mites if you search it...Also, they won't really affect you. Chicken (bird) lice can't live on humans. Only human head lice can. So don't worry, you can't be infected by them.

You will also want to do a complete cleaning of your coop(s). Lice/mites will hide in the tiniest cracks of your coop (especially nest boxes). Dust it with Sevin dust or DE.

Good luck and hope you get rid of those nasty things!