Mite Check?

[nes]

We just moved to our new little farm and the previous owner left us our two chickens.
I've noticed tons & tons of mite-dusting supplies around here (at least 5 different containers, most expired), there also were 3 chickens when we came to see the house early spring, we only have 2.

Hen & Pen are pretty unfriendly chickens, I definitely can not go and pick them up, I'm not even really sure about bothering them at night while they are sleeping.

Is there anyway I can find out if they have mites with out picking them up?
How much is it normal for chickens to scratch or groom themselves?

I have noticed they seem to be doing it much more then they were when we first got here, but their whole pen has been cleaned up so I think they are just happier

.

 

[mandelyn]

If you don't want to get hands on with them, you can put not-expired dust in their favorite dust bathing spot and let them dust themselves. Repeated use of it once a week/10 days will take care of any they may be carrying around. Preening themselves they all do periodically through out the day, that's normal.

What you want to watch out for is a paling of the comb coloring(from red to washed out almost white/pink) since that can be a sign of anemia, an effect of mite/lice feeding on them to that extent.

 

[nes]

Thanks mandelyn.

I can't really thought about just dosing them anyway, that is probably a good idea, but their combs (on both chickens) are a very vibrant red so I'd bet we don't have a problem