Need help identifying this little pest

[Coconut and Co]

Hello fellow chicken friends, I was wondering if anyone could help me identify this little pest (see picture)? They are maybe 3/16" long, dark grey/brown in color, and they like to hang out not near the skin like lice, but further up on the feathers. Especially on the head but other places as well. We're in a tropical climate. They don't seem to be affecting the chickens health wise (from what I can tell), though it's hard to tell as the days are shorter with winter and some of them are molting so they're not laying as much. Either way I'd like to get rid of them, but without the use of pesticides as we have small children, other pets and our runoff water ends up in the ocean. Does anyone recognize the bugs are? My internet searches have come up empty. Thank you!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Looks like lice to me.

@Wyorp Rock @azygous @Eggcessive

 

[azygous]

Not lice or mites. Probably something passing by got trapped by the feather. Harmless. Not a threat to you chickens.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Not lice or mites. Probably something passing by got trapped by the feather. Harmless. Not a threat to you chickens.

Ok, I saw something similar on a pigeon we rescued.

 

[azygous]

Lice and mites have stubby bodies, lice with six legs and mites with eight. Those look like leaf inhabitants.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They are maybe 3/16" long, dark grey/brown in color, and they like to hang out not near the skin like lice, but further up on the feathers. Especially on the head but other places as well.

Poultry Wing Louse?

I'd use a Permethrin based poultry dust to get rid of them. I understand your concern about using a pesticide, but this will be the most effective method of treatment.

https://wiki.pestinfo.org/wiki/Lipeurus_caponis
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IG140

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Ok, I saw something similar on a pigeon we rescued.

I’ve seen similar looking feather lice on pigeons I’ve rescued, too, but they’re usually a different color?

 

[007Sean]

Feather lice. Permethrin or Sevin dust will get rid of the nasty little boogers.

 

[kauai rooster mom]

Hello fellow chicken friends, I was wondering if anyone could help me identify this little pest (see picture)? They are maybe 3/16" long, dark grey/brown in color, and they like to hang out not near the skin like lice, but further up on the feathers. Especially on the head but other places as well. We're in a tropical climate. They don't seem to be affecting the chickens health wise (from what I can tell), though it's hard to tell as the days are shorter with winter and some of them are molting so they're not laying as much. Either way I'd like to get rid of them, but without the use of pesticides as we have small children, other pets and our runoff water ends up in the ocean. Does anyone recognize the bugs are? My internet searches have come up empty. Thank you!

I live in Hawaii and have one sultan mix rooster ( a rescue from a common chicken drop off spot...so many wild chickens here!) He has these mostly on his head but in other places too. I was concerned that they are head lice, but can't find any definitive answer. I just treated him by dusting the head are with diatomacious earth and sprinkling it where he dust bathes. Have you had any luck with finding out more about them? Thanks for the photo!