External Mites and Lice
Lice live on the bird, mites often live in the coop and feed at night. Heavy loads cause anemia (pale comb), feather damage, and a stressed flock that stops laying.
Mix of AI illustrations and anonymized real cases shared by community keepers. Visual severity varies by bird, age, and stage.
Symptoms
- Mites / lice visible
- Feather damage or bald patches
- Pale comb
- Restless at night
- Drop in egg production
- Weight loss
Treatment
Dust each bird with permethrin powder (avoid the face). Repeat in 7 to 10 days. Strip and burn or deep clean the coop, paying attention to roost ends and cracks. Permethrin the coop too. Permethrin has zero egg withdrawal in most regions, but verify locally.
Prevention
Provide a dust bath with dry dirt, sand, wood ash, and a sprinkle of DE. Inspect under wings and around the vent monthly. Clean the coop seasonally and treat roosts with permethrin once a year.
Typical recovery
7 to 21 days with prompt care.