Mites and Dust bath

[winny]

My hens have small white mites or lice on their feathers ,Im wondering do all hens have mites/lice and control them their self by using a dust bath of ash or mud?

Or is it something I need to treat, if so with what?
Also they are egg laying.

Please help

 

[jenifry]

Mites are quite common, but not all chickens have them. I recommend diatomaceous earth in their bedding, nest boxes, and on the floor of the coop and even a little where they dust bathe. You can also buy chemicals such as ivermectin, permethryn or even malathion. to apply to the bird, but shouldn't eat the eggs for 7-30 days if you are treating with a chemical. I have never had a problem with mites, but I have heard that you want to have some sort of control or treatment, because they can get to be a big problem in a hurry.

 

[BantamLover21]

My hens have small white mites or lice on their feathers ,Im wondering do all hens have mites/lice and control them their self by using a dust bath of ash or mud?

Or is it something I need to treat, if so with what?
Also they are egg laying.

Please help

Chickens will, to some degree, if able to, control any mites/lice by dust bathing. However, if you are seeing mites on your chickens, it is time for you to treat them instead of relying on them to treat themselves. The best thing to use is a poultry mite and lice powder, or 5%-10% Sevin Dust. The Sevin can be purchased at most garden supply stores, and works well. Dust the birds thoroughly once, and then dust again 7-10 days later to kill any mites that hatched from eggs (mite/lice eggs are usually not harmed by mite treatments).