Yesterday I was sitting with Pickwick my black chicken on my lap. I noticed some small white bugs on her comb and face, then I noticed that there were some on her back as well, but they looked maybe redder. I immediately treated everyone with Sevin dust and completely cleaned and treated the coop. Today Pick got herself tangled. She was born with a completely crooked neck and as she gets older it gets longer. Well today she somehow got her neck wrapped around her wing and totally panicked. Luckily I was outside with them and got her untangled immediately. This is the first that this has happened. To let her calm down I sat down with her and let her nap in my lap. Not a minute goes by and I see another of the white bugs! One near her eye and a larger on her back. Am I not treating this right? I don't like the Sevin but was told that was the best course of action. Here's the best pic I could get of one of them on her eye, they seem to "drink" there. She's also a sticky mess from some watermelon treat. Do I need to bathe them all in something? I hope this was the right place to post this. Help, and thank you!
You might try a bath in a mild solution of Dawn dishwashing detergent. The Sevin should work. It would be easy enough to miss some individuals. You could also purchase a dust or spray of pyrethrins / permethrins, available as Adams flea and tick spray and as "poultry dust" or spray at a feed store. Remember to retreat in 10 days. Good luck!
