Hi. My easter egger just started laying a few days ago--and I found some bugs on the eggs the last two days. I managed to finally catch her and yes, there are definitely bugs on her as well, and so I am assuming others in the flock have them as well and we need to treat. Will be spot-checking a few more today, but they are fast and not easily gotten--by me, at least. My husband is faster.
Are these lice or mites? I'm having trouble sorting through all the information to identify--reading different things. Mites that haven't fed, or lice. My guess is lice based on what I'm reading, but I'm a newbie chicken owner so this is all speculation and google and forum searching talking. We will treat both the coop and the chickens regardless, I think, but I'm just wanting to know for my own information and moving forward. My girls live right on the edge of the woods with wild birds everywhere, so I"m sure this may be something we will have to consistently watch out for.
Thanks for any help you can give. This was the best picture I could get of them.
I would treat her and all of the birds with permethrin including inside the coop thoroughly, every crack and crevice, everywhere. You can spray the birds or use poultry dust. I can't tell from the pictures of what you have but if they are on the birds, I would say, not good. I get permethrin at my local TSC. The bonus is there is no egg withdrawal period. Good luck...
I can't tell the difference between lice and mites, I struggled with it for a while until I realized that cure for one is also a cure for the other. @cmom posted the solution for either. I treat both the coop and the birds. My way of doing it is to clean out the coop spray everything down with the P word stuff (I can't spell and too lazy to scroll up and see how someone else spelled it) ... top bottom, sides, nesting boxes, roost top bottom and sides. every inch. Then I ad bedding with live stock dust (same active ingredient that begins with P) and I use a lot of it.
You can use both the spray and or the dust on the birds. I use what ever I have most of and if I have a lot of both I use both but not at the same time. I spray first and a few hours later I use the dust. When using the dust I put it in a pillow case, put the bird in the pillow case with its head sticking out then I get it all worked up (usually no effort needed) so it flaps its wings in the pill case getting that live stock dust all over.
I get mine at local plant nurseries because where I live its cheaper than TSC.. that's not the case everywhere. I am not going to say the products I use are any better than what someone else suggests I just offer up a larger variety of choices.
