Mite issue?

[Kedwar72]

Hi! I have not seen actual mites on my chickens but I see tiny back marks on their combs. No raised scales on their feet. However, I am also seeing white flakes on my black chicken and excessive preening in two of them. Are these signs of early mite infestations? Is it okay to go ahead and treat them if I’m not certain it’s mites? Any suggestions for products to use? Thank you!

 

[Debbie292d]

Do they have an area where they can dust bathe? Ours don't have one now that the snow fell, so we're making one for in our coop today from garden dirt, a bit of ashes from our woodstove and a sprinkle of DE in an XL kitty litter box.

If you believe they have mites or lice or want to treat them, there are a few methods like Elector PSP (expensive but can get on eBay etc.), Ivermectin, but the vast majority I'd say use Permethrin dust or spray for the coop and the chickens. If you have cats, just keep them out of your coop for a day until the spray dries or the dust settles, as it's toxic to them.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Probably not. If you can't find mites, there may be none. Black marks on combs can be all sorts of things but normally dried blood. The comb is nothing but flowing blood right below the surface and the slightest abrasion will bring blood to the surface that dries black. White flecks on black feathers after preening could be just dry flaking skin.

 

[Debbie292d]

Probably not. If you can't find mites, there may be none. Black marks on combs can be all sorts of things but normally dried blood. The comb is nothing but flowing blood right below the surface and the slightest abrasion will bring blood to the surface that dries black. White flecks on black feathers after preening could be just dry flaking skin.

Exactly my thoughts. The number one reason for black spots on combs that I've seen or heard of was from pecking. There's also pox but that's never the only symptom of that and it's more drastic looking than just little black spots. Mites and lice can cause black spots too but that's rarer because there's nowhere for them to hide there. They'd rather be in the feathers or by the vent.

 

[Kedwar72]

Okay thank you all so much for your help! I ordered the mite treatment mentioned above but I don’t think we actually have mites after reading your responses! I appreciate everyone’s help!