Possible Mites or Lice

[FallingSkies]

Hi I am new to chickens and I got some from someone who says they do not have them. But the older 2 born Easter looked very pink under their wing feathers and not really any feathers on body under them. Just pink and a little bit of down. I also got 4 week olds at same time so have kept them seperate from my others and have put on poultry powder twice now about 5 days apart. It said dust but didnt say how many times.
So how many times do I put it on and as the little ones are getting bigger and getting more feathers not sure if it is that or mites or lice. I have checked but cant really see anything but dont want to infect my others if thats the case. They are in seperate rooms. Just want to be on safe side.
And excuse my being novice. Had loads of animals just never chickens.

 

[Chick Charm]

It is possible due to their age that they get that dinosaur, funky feather/down look naturally.

Likely on close inspection you will see if they have bugs so you will know for sure.

You may want to try DE if you are worried.

Wish ya the best.

 

[BoogieBird]

I have used garden grade DE as well with great success...doesn't hurt either way!

 

[FallingSkies]

Thats just it I dont know if they are just funkie looking. It is just me so no one else to help and squirmy is putting it mildly . Just putting on dusting powder is hard enough. I just thought better safe than sorry. Even with that how many times do you dust them . I have done it twice. Its not that they are listless either far from it.

 

[Stiggy]

sounds like a normal chicken colouring. if there were lice you can see them around the vent area, they are little yellow orange things. then there are mites and different kinds ( see some of the other threads on here/ google it) one way to keep them healthy is to get them a dust bath, a baby bath/ kids paddling pool and half fill it with dry dirt ( the small powdered stuff not big hunks) and add food grade DE to it and mix it in. this way when they bath they will be getting some DE on them and they will need to be powdered less ( baby baths/ paddling pools can be cheap to buy second hand and work well depending on the size and amount of your birds, you will need to keep it covered though or somewhere where the dirt wont get wet. they will love it ( see my pictures for the proof that a baby bath is brilliant)). also you have done it twice, so unless you can see the lice then twice is enough, but good on you for being viligent about it.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hello and
You won't always see the lice or mites. The red mites feed on your birds overnight and during the day they crawl into the crevices of your coop. Lice on the other hand are much easier to detect. Carry one of your birds around whilst you feed and water everyone. Chances are you will feel the creepy crawlies on you not long after. There are many arguments for and against DE. I personally don't use it as the possible impact on myself and my birds upper respiratory systems is of concern to me. This link may help you with the way ahead.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html

 

[FallingSkies]

Thanks everyone and definitely getting a dust bath ready . Most of mine are still young and why I kept the others seperate. My son burns wood for heat in winter so that shouldnt be a problem.

 

[FallingSkies]

I know what the red mites look like as I had a sparrow build a next every year off my screen porch andvraised a brood of babies every year. Well last year I kept find these tiny red biting things and had no idea what they were. Had no chickens then. But now I do...LOL..

 

[Stiggy]

thre are different types of mites, the red ones will come out in the day time if there is an infestation of them, they do bite humans and leave itchy bite like things. the gry mites are just annoying and itchy and you will soon know if you have those because they will be all over you, and they are very itchy as well

 

[Fancychooklady]

That is why you have to treat and retreat your chickens. The sparrows bring the lice in. The most effective way to treat lice and mites is to dust with a poultry powder remove all nesting material and spray your coop out with a pesticide like ' coopex ' . Then 10 days down the track treat the the birds again for any nits that have hatched. Wood ash and DE may have some merit as a ' preventative ' but will not rid your birds of lice or mites.