When examining birds for lice, the whole body should be examined, because they are not as concentrated around the vent as are northern fowl mites. The white egg masses at the base of the feathers are the best indicators of a lice infestation. Like northern fowl mites, lice populations build up in cooler weather. As with northern fowl mites, consider the time of year and age of the flock when making control decisions. Bedbug behavior is much like that of chicken mites.
Bedbugs feed on birds only at night and only for a short time.
The rest of the time they hide in cracks and crevices. They are seldom a problem in caged-layer operations, but they can be important pests in breeder houses because of the availability of numerous daytime hiding places. Bedbugs in large numbers consume much blood from a flock and can cause weig ht loss, lowered egg production, and lowered feed efficiency. Bedbugs can survive one to several months, depending on temperature, without a blood meal. Therefore, they can easily survive an empty house between flocks.