Miracle Christmas Chick has bugs.... fleas?

[chickensducks&agoose]

My B.O. successfully hatched 1 of three eggs, taken from our fridge. She was knocked off the nest by the other hens about 5 days ago, and the eggs got really cold, when i went out in the morning, they were totally cold, but i put her back on them after shooing the other hens away, and gave her some more safety/privacy. I figured the eggs were dead, but wanted her to have a chance... anyway, christmas day, we found a tiny, TINY, little yellow fuzz ball, and brought it inside cause it was really cold, warmed it up, put it back out with it's mama, and gave them supplemental heat. then I brought it in yesterday afternoon to show the kids, and noticed that it had 2 bugs on it, that when I tried to get them, they burrowed down into the fluff. Maybe fleas? what do I do? is the chick going to be ok?

 

[LynneP]

Probably the safest dusting you can give a chick is food-grade DE. But I think it's important to nail those pests asap. I hope someone with chickie experience will chime in here. I suspect you need to dust the chick, change the bedding, treat the coop...guessing Sevin or Dri-Kill...and this post should bump you to the top again so you can get a definitive answer!

 

[LynneP]

Oh and after that hang these in the coop, where birds can't get at them!
Dichlorovos

 

[Poohbear]

LynneP is right on! Likelyhood the nest has mites. Make a new nest or clean the one you have and put new bedding in it. Dust the new bedding and mama hen lightly with 5% Sevin dust. She will shake it on the chick when she snuggles and all will be well. Make sure they have WARM bedding (straw, hay, shavings, sand).