Lice or mites ID - photo

[mollycoyote]

Hello - my orphington, Peach, has some little white clusters around her face that I am assuming is a parasite egg infestation - lice or mites?

I have searched around her body and her skin looks in good condition to me and I haven't found any other clusters of eggs anywhere else.

The photos I see online of parasite eggs show HUGE clumps of eggs and what I'm dealing with is much smaller so I'm asking for help to ID the issue. When I was searching her body I did see one little red mite looking guy walk across her skin but i haven't see any other clumps of eggs and he skin looks really healthy to me actually. I put a nice big sand box with sand/DE in the run so that she and the other girls could use it if they wished. She decided she wasn't interested in dust baithing - I thought she'd be the first one in there as she's probably feeling pretty itchy.

Advice on how to treat and ID would be very much appreciated by Peach and myself. Thanks!

 

[Choco Maran]

I would dust her if she is not going to use the dust box. This will help if it is lice or mites. I dust my dogs and cats directly to help with fleas and ticks with great results.

 

[Chick Charm]

I have put my chickens in a gunny sack filled with DE and rubbed it all over for about 30 seconds to give em a good coating. I DO MAKE SURE TO GET THE DE ON THE CHICKENS HEAD, even though many people avoid getting the DE around the eyes and beak. I do this to make sure the parasites have nowhere to hide. I have never harmed or hurt one of my chickens by doing this. So I believe it is the best method.

Also you could use SEVIN dust.

It looks like she has a tiny amount of mites if that is what the parasite is. It is GOOD that you caught em so soon.

Hope the best for ya.

Phil