Hello, my chicks have seem to develop what looks like dandruff on the feathers. I first noticed it on my black silkie. Is it lice? Or something else? Thank you. Melissa

-- Melissa Pearson (kfourluvbugs@yahoo.com), July 13, 2001

Answers

We sevin dust our chickens every once in a while. Never hurts them. we just usually get a big animal feeder thing with the 4 in. sides and nice and big and put a good layer of sevin in the bottom and grab a chickens feet in one hand and the head in the other (with the wings facing down) and swish them around in it it end up even geting up on their stomach if you use a good sweeping motion. no seperate pen is required for the done ones just look in the pen and you can see the white powdered ones.

-- lindsey in southern il (l_shamhart@hotmail.com), July 13, 2001.

I also use seven dust to keep mites an other bugs under control. However i sprinkle some in the dirt areas i know they take dust baths in.

If they're young chicks and not completely feathered out, it's possible they'll be extra sensitive to the seven dust.

:-)

-- Buk Buk (bukabuk@hotmail.com), July 13, 2001.

I glad that the sprinkle in the dustings areas worked for you some of our chickens won't dust them selves to often and others avoid the white spots our way it is harder but if you have a poultry show in a week or 2 you know all have been dusted. Good luck!

-- lindsey in southern il (l_shamhart@hotmail.com), July 14, 2001.

You could also try dusting them with DE and sulfur or even just DE. That would be safe on chicks. Mixing wood ashes or DE in their dusting area works pretty good too.

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), July 16, 2001.