Mites or Lice? What do I use?

[KikiDeAnime]

I will get a photo as soon as I can!

Our Silkie rooster, Silver, has some sort of parasite on him.
There are white egg like things by his ears and I've noticed weird looking bugs that end up on my arms sometimes after I've held him.

Later today my dad and I will be going to Pioneer Feed to get a few things and I need to know what we can get to treat Silver for these parasites.

Silver, right now, is the only one who has this parasite.
He's been dusting bathing everyday whenever I take him outside to enjoy the warm sunny days.

 

[coach723]

Here are some pictures that may help you ID, sounds like mites, lice, or possibly both.
You will need to treat the birds, and clean out and treat the coop. Most commonly used are products containing permethrin.
Lots of pictures here: https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Here's the best photos that Silver would allow. The second photo shows the eggs better than the first one.

 

[Kris5902]

Sorry, I can’t really see anything in the picture to indicate one way or the other, but I’m guessing if you can see them with the naked eye and from your description of them crawling up your arms (shudders, as I know that feeling all too well!) he’s got chicken lice.

Nice thing is the little buggers can’t live on you... but I’m guessing you’re going to be having quite a few long exfoliating showers in the future while treating him and the coop, I know I do when I have to treat for them! Agree on the treating everyone and clearing out as treating the coop. You will want to fully irradicate them, and that means getting every book and cranny you can!

Best of luck! I’m getting crawling itchy feelings just thinking about them! Ick...

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Sorry, I can’t really see anything in the picture to indicate one way or the other, but I’m guessing if you can see them with the naked eye and from your description of them crawling up your arms (shudders, as I know that feeling all too well!) he’s got chicken lice.

Nice thing is the little buggers can’t live on you... but I’m guessing you’re going to be having quite a few long exfoliating showers in the future while treating him and the coop, I know I do when I have to treat for them! Agree on the treating everyone and clearing out as treating the coop. You will want to fully irradicate them, and that means getting every book and cranny you can!

Best of luck! I’m getting crawling itchy feelings just thinking about them! Ick...

He currently only sleeps in the house so only his large plastic tub needs to be cleaned out. Which is weird as I recently cleaned it out on Saturday.

 

[Kris5902]

That makes the cleaning easier for sure! Why is he in the house? Do you have other chickens? Where are you keeping the other chickens and what sort of setup do you have overall? Mites and lice are fairly common external parasites.

Check under the wings (like the armpits) and around the other chickens vents, look deep into the feathers near the skin... with close examination chances are you will find more... you just see them easily on your boy because for some reason they have had a population explosion on him.

The link provided by coach723 gives you lots of good info on them. And knowledgeable feed store staff can be very helpful as well!

 

[KikiDeAnime]

That makes the cleaning easier for sure! Why is he in the house? Do you have other chickens? Where are you keeping the other chickens and what sort of setup do you have overall? Mites and lice are fairly common external parasites.

Check under the wings (like the armpits) and around the other chickens vents, look deep into the feathers near the skin... with close examination chances are you will find more... you just see them easily on your boy because for some reason they have had a population explosion on him.

The link provided by coach723 gives you lots of good info on them. And knowledgeable feed store staff can be very helpful as well!

He sleeps in the house because we're currently getting him use to wearing a rooster collar so that he can go live outside with the others. So far, he seems fine with the collar.
We have 10 hens outside.
We also have 2 D'Uccle chicks inside but they're nowhere near Silver.
I've checked everyone else and nobody else has anything on them.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Update:
W got a spray from Wilco and it's helping a lot.

 

[cmom]

I would take a comb and get the eggs off of him. Maybe give him a flea bath and when he is dry either spray him with permethrin spray or use permethrin dust. If he has mites or lice the other birds may too. Some only feed on the birds at night so you may not see them during the day. I would spray the coop very well, every crack and crevice as well as everything in the coop including ceiling, walls, roosts, nest boxes, floor. Permethrin does not kill the eggs so repeat sprayings are a must do. Good luck...

 

[KikiDeAnime]

I would take a comb and get the eggs off of him. Maybe give him a flea bath and when he is dry either spray him with permethrin spray or use permethrin dust. If he has mites or lice the other birds may too. Some only feed on the birds at night so you may not see them during the day. I would spray the coop very well, every crack and crevice as well as everything in the coop including ceiling, walls, roosts, nest boxes, floor. Permethrin does not kill the eggs so repeat sprayings are a must do. Good luck...

As I already posted above, we already got him a spray and its helping a lot.