Are newspaper mites bad for chickens?

[Hischick]

Hello; today I put some newspaper in my wire-bottomed nesting boxes to keep the hay from falling out. I noticed in the process that I had tiny bugs crawling all over my coat and gloves. I took my coat off to see how many - there were probably around 30-50 bugs. They are the size of or smaller than seed ticks (any one who has seen those knows how small they can be), and they are a pale white/grayish color, with a circular abdomen. I am guessing that they came from the newspaper that I was putting out, as the newspaper is outside (under shelter) in an open plastic bag.
Does any one know if these bugs (I think they are a type of mite) would be an irritant or parasite to my hens? I have not put the hay in yet, and am keeping the hens out of those nests with the paper just in case. I noticed some 'mites' crawling on the paper I had put in the nests, too.

I have never had fowl mites or other mites as far as I know, so it's is rather new to me and I want to be cautious. Any suggestions would be welcomed.
Thank you!

 

[dawg53]

Here's a link with pics of the types of lice/mites that chickens can get. Got a good magnifying glass to compare the bugs you're seeing with the pics in the link? Keep in mind that mites have 8 legs:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140

 

[Hischick]

Thank you dawg53 for the link - I took a magnifying glass out this morning to look, but I could not find any more of the insects. From what I remember seeing yesterday though, they did not look like any of the pictures on the site you mentioned.
I looked in the nesting boxes and could not find any there either, so I did put the other nesting material in.
I know 'not seeing' does not mean they are not there, but 1. I don't think that they are an insect that is parasitic to chickens, and 2. I need my nesting boxes. I will definitely keep an eye on my girls, but hopefully all is well.

Thanks for taking time to answer my post.

 

[Mister B]

Maybe they ate them. I went out a few nights ago, I went to check my chicks and they were having a great time catching and eating bugs that were flying around their lamp in the brooder. It never dawned on me that they would, I thought they only ate starter food. LOL

 

[Hischick]

It is possible - but I had the nesting boxes closed so the hens would have not had access to the insects unless the insects crawled out.
But yes, chickens LOVE bugs.