Hi my name is Mue and I have taken in some hens as the owner passed away. I need some help with these two new hens which have just settled in after two days and I can hold them. They have come with something in their feathers. The hens are white and the other dark brown. The white hen has white thin longish things in the feathers that move not fast or these didn't. When I found it this morning I did the following: 1. Burned the bedding from their coop (even though I did put lots of SMITE powder in the bedding and cracks before they came two days ago. 2. Squirt SMITE into every crevice again and dust the bottom with SMITE. Put nedz bedz bedding in a lots of SMITE on top. let it settle. Then gently raked it into the bedding and nest boxes and perch. Well everything got covered in it. 3. Hold each hen as I carefully went under the feathers and put SMITE powder all over the hen apart from the face and vent. I think they have been wormed. My four hens are not with these but I do the same with them. They have no bugs and have been wormed. Does anyone know what they are? How I treat them? How long for? If I knew the name of this crawly thing can you recommend a treatment. The white bird is laying eggs but not the brown one. Unsure of age but mature birds. lovely looking feathers. Thank you in advance please Mue
Sounds like you did great. In 7-10 days repeat what you did and you should be clear. Then inspect regularly. Sounds like a louse or mite. Check vents for what looks like white poo stuck to base of feathers...
Check for mites in the chicken house and lice around vent and neck (if you do have lice, treat with Pestene powder or if you want to do it the natural way give the chicken a wood ash dust bath).