My Buff Orpington (6yrs) has a pretty bare butt. I’ve seen her coopmate snatch and eat her butt feathers and she doesn’t seem to mind so I’ve let it be. But she was laying next to me in the sun today and I saw how really bare her butt is. On closer examination there are tiny tiny white bugs crawling on her. I only see them on her bottom, not on her back or neck. I covered her bare skin where I saw the bugs with diatomaceous earth I figured that couldn’t hurt. **edited to add: on closer inspection both she and her coopmate have white bugs with a tiny brown spot and egg sacs on the base of their feathers. Disgusting! I feel so terrible. Please help! Is insecticide the only thing for this??
I have new babies that will be moving in to the coop in a couple of months so I need to fix this problem now.
She’s not laying any longer but her sister is so I don’t want to use anything toxic to humans if I don’t have to.
I’ve tried searching online and have had mixed results/advice. You ladies are always so wise. Please tell me:
1) the best way to treat my girls to eliminate this bug. Is it lice?
2) the best way to clean the coop. I’ve never really done more than sweep out the litter and wipe down perches with vinegar water every once in a while.
Thank you all for your help!
I have new babies that will be moving in to the coop in a couple of months so I need to fix this problem now.
She’s not laying any longer but her sister is so I don’t want to use anything toxic to humans if I don’t have to.
I’ve tried searching online and have had mixed results/advice. You ladies are always so wise. Please tell me:
1) the best way to treat my girls to eliminate this bug. Is it lice?
2) the best way to clean the coop. I’ve never really done more than sweep out the litter and wipe down perches with vinegar water every once in a while.
Thank you all for your help!
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