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CoopBoots
Crowing
- Aug 31, 2022
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Whoops, I forgot to say I checked the perches a couple of hours after roosting but only got dirt and dust on my rag, no red smears.I agree with @Wyorp Rock that some photos would be helpful, especially of the butt and the preening gland.
I think you may be confusing mites with lice. Lice lay eggs on the feather shafts and live on dander and dry skin, while mites give birth to live young and usually hide out in the coop in crevices and come out at night to feed on the blood of the chickens. The presence of mites should be suspected if the butt feathers appear dirty. The way to tell is to inspect the coop at night and run a damp white cloth over the roosts to see if you get red smears, indicating mites.
Both can be treated with permethrin or spinosad.