Mites and Lice

[lmterp]

Hi all, I am new to this group, and a brand new chick owner. We bought 10 baby chicks 2 weeks ago from Tractor Supply. We are keeping them inside in one of the main rooms in our home. We have another property where we intend to go in a month or so, where there will be plenty of outdoor space, but right now we don't have that option. The chicks are itching a bit. People have told us that (and we have read) that their new feathers could create itching. We talked to an 83 year old friend last night who has kept chickens in the past. He warned us that if they get mites or lice and the chickens are inside, that we would then have the mites/lice in our building and NEVER be able to get rid of them! My husband is very nervous as his immune system is suppressed and he is very allergic to insect bites. Does anyone have experience with baby chickens indoors and mites/lice? Prevention? Treatment? Avoiding infestations?

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I seriously doubt that your chicks from a feed store would have lice or mites. They get those things from an infested old coop, wild birds, or mice. So, it is probably just the normal,itchiness we see with chicks growing like weeds and shedding dander on their skin. Here is some reading about lice and mites, and waht to look for if you should have a problem in the future:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/