What is on my chickens feathers?

[Tbrad]

Can anyone tell me what this is on their feathers? I did a deep clean of my coop over the weekend and saw this. They otherwise look fine in the vent area, no crowding around the shafts of the feathers based on what I've seen of lice and mites on Google.

It has been humid and damp and am wondering if it's build up of dust. All my chickens are under 1 yr so I don't think molting is coming up based on age. Any feedback helps.

 

[Tookie]

I think they're feather mites or lice.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Lice eggs

 

[EggSighted4Life]

It has been humid and damp and am wondering if it's build up of dust.

That's how lice like it!

 

[Tbrad]

So based on the picture does anyone have an idea of how bad the infestation is? Again I checked vents and shafts and everything looked fine and not all their feathers looked like this.

 

[Eggcessive]

Look for lice eggs at the base of feathers under the vent and belly. If those are indeed feather mites, you would need to treat with ivermectin. The dosage varies with oral, or the pour on ivermectin products. Let us know if you need help with dosage. Here is some info:
https://poultrykeeper.com/external-problems/depluming-mites/

Lice or mites can be treated with permetrin dust/spray or a spinsad product.

 

[Tookie]

Since were on the subject about mites, lice, and feather mites are these feather mites?

 

[Eggcessive]

Just guessing Tookie, but it might be lice. You can look with a magnifying glass, and compare it to pictures online. Look under the lower belly and vent for egg clumps or moving bugs. Here is a decent picture of lice:

 

[Tookie]

Just guessing Tookie, but it might be lice. You can look with a magnifying glass, and compare it to pictures online. Look under the lower belly and vent for egg clumps or moving bugs. Here is a decent picture of lice:
View attachment 3257597

They do look to be lice, but I only notice them on the neck feathers and I don't think I see any eggs. They also seem to have mites.

 

[Tookie]

These are the lice.