Tiny Black Mites on Egg

[Chel0ftheSea]

I just went and collected eggs and one egg had just been laid (still warm) and it had little tiny black bugs running around on it. I assume these were mites. When I picked it up they ran onto my hand and I squished the ones I could find, and I wiped the egg with a cloth to remove any other little bugs- immediately threw that cloth in the wash, put the egg in the refrigerator, and washed my hands.

I have some Pure Planet Poultry Spray so I went back out and sprayed the bedding in the nesting box, sprayed the roosting bars, and spayed the grass in the run. It is DUMPING rain today so that makes it hard for me to change all the bedding with fresh without it getting soaked- so I am hoping that the spray will help in the mean time.

I know I am going to need to spray each of my 6 hens individually with the spray to get rid of them, but again it is dumping rain today...

What I wanted to ask is if this is a 911 emergency that I get these mites eradicated ASAP or if my hens will be okay until I get a sunny day to do a deep clean of the coop and spray them all down throughly with the Poultry Spray?

I also wanted to know if little black mites are something I need be worried about on myself? Do they feed on people too or just chickens?

 

[Chel0ftheSea]

The Pure Planet spray is just vegetable oil. You might want to get something more insecticidal like permethrin or Sevin. When I find mites I imagine they are crawling all over me for weeks after.

I'm trying to get pregnant right now so I am worried about using anything with chemicals, which is why I have the Pure Planet Poultry Spray. I wasn't sure if Permethrin is safe to use while pregnant...

 

[Kiki]

I'm trying to get pregnant right now so I am worried about using anything with chemicals, which is why I have the Pure Planet Poultry Spray. I wasn't sure if Permethrin is safe to use while pregnant...

Sure it's safe to use.

You aren't going to be ingesting it are you?


Can you get a picture of the bugs?

If it is mites you really need to treat your coop and birds no less than 3 times every 5-6 days to break the life cycle or you are going to have a hard time getting rid of them.
Mites can suck the life right out of a bird and kill in in no time.


Get this: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...-equine-fly-spray-plus-citronella-scent-32-oz
It's easy to use, no mixing/math involved.

 

[Chel0ftheSea]

Sure it's safe to use.

You aren't going to be ingesting it are you?


Can you get a picture of the bugs?

If it is mites you really need to treat your coop and birds no less than 3 times every 5-6 days to break the life cycle or you are going to have a hard time getting rid of them.
Mites can suck the life right out of a bird and kill in in no time.


Get this: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...-equine-fly-spray-plus-citronella-scent-32-oz
It's easy to use, no mixing/math involved.

I guess I can wear a mask and gloves- i'm worried about inhaling the powder or absorbing it through my skin.

They were tiny little black specks that were moving on the egg shell.

I did go out in the rain today and move the coop/run to a new spot of grass and sprayed the grass with the Pure Planet. I also tried to spray each of the hens right on the bottom with the Pure Planet and anywhere else I could spray them with it.

I looked for any more little black moving specks in the coop while I was cleaning it, but I didn't SEE any, but I knew they must be hiding in there somewhere.

I have an Omlet Eglu- so I cleaned out all the old bedding from the nesting box and tied it up in a garbage bag and threw that away, wiped it out and sprayed the nesting box down with the Pure Planet. I cleaned out the droppings tray and sprayed that down with the Pure Planet, and I removed the roosting bar rack and sprayed that clean with the hose and then with the Pure Planet. I tried to let the Pure Planet have a moment to "dry" before I added the new wood chips to the droppings tray and the new bedding to the nesting box- but with it raining so heavily today I don't know how much it really did... but the new dry wood chips and bedding absorbed it I am pretty sure.

I'm hoping this helps at least for the time being... I then came inside and threw all my clothes in the wash and took a shower.

The rain is supposed to let up on Thursday and I will do another clear out of everything, and maybe I will try the ProZap Garden & Poultry Dust (0.25% Permethrin) while wearing a mask and gloves.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I guess I can wear a mask and gloves- i'm worried about inhaling the powder or absorbing it through my skin.

They were tiny little black specks that were moving on the egg shell.

I did go out in the rain today and move the coop/run to a new spot of grass and sprayed the grass with the Pure Planet. I also tried to spray each of the hens right on the bottom with the Pure Planet and anywhere else I could spray them with it.

I looked for any more little black moving specks in the coop while I was cleaning it, but I didn't SEE any, but I knew they must be hiding in there somewhere.

I have an Omlet Eglu- so I cleaned out all the old bedding from the nesting box and tied it up in a garbage bag and threw that away, wiped it out and sprayed the nesting box down with the Pure Planet. I cleaned out the droppings tray and sprayed that down with the Pure Planet, and I removed the roosting bar rack and sprayed that clean with the hose and then with the Pure Planet. I tried to let the Pure Planet have a moment to "dry" before I added the new wood chips to the droppings tray and the new bedding to the nesting box- but with it raining so heavily today I don't know how much it really did... but the new dry wood chips and bedding absorbed it I am pretty sure.

I'm hoping this helps at least for the time being... I then came inside and threw all my clothes in the wash and took a shower.

The rain is supposed to let up on Thursday and I will do another clear out of everything, and maybe I will try the ProZap Garden & Poultry Dust (0.25% Permethrin) while wearing a mask and gloves.

From Epocrates+ (human medicine and pharmaceutical reference) : permethrin has minimal systemic absorption through the skin. Safe for pregnant and lactating women.
A mask sounds like a great idea.