Fed Up with My Free-Loading Chickens!

I checked a couple of the friendlier ones a few days ago just out of curiosity but I'll look closer again next time I go out.
Best to check after dark, grab them off the roost.

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.


Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Look fast, they will scatter quickly once the feathers are parted and the light hits them.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008
 
Finally! Now, just need to figure out if this beauty is from our Cream Legbar or Green Queen EE.

We have just shy of 12 hrs of daylight here, which obviously is enough for at least two of our girls. The other laying hen these days is our nearly-4yo Lav. Orpington.
 

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