Are these mites or lice?

[Frazzled chicken tender]

My daughter just called me over to look at our eggs because they are covered in some sort of insects. These are eggs that were collected a few days ago and put into a basket. I didn't notice any bugs in the nesting boxes when I clean them periodically. They are made of wood so hard to clean, but I will disinfect them today. Thanks for any input!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

They are made of wood so hard to clean, but I will disinfect them today.

Permethrin spray.. will kill chicken parasites. Diatomatios earth is irrelevent in humid conditions like mine.. and nor is it effective at treating an infestation.

Also potentially dangerous to anyone involved including chickens respiratory system.

Getting them doesn't mean you're not clean enough.. it means your chickens have access to the great outdoors and nature as they should (if possible)!

Do the inspection after dark using a flashlight ort head lamp.. never chase a bird again! Roosters included..

Are they moving? I can;t even zoom in enough to see any legs.

 

[Isadora]

I'll do that today.

Please don't. DE won't get the job done. You need permethrin.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

fyi... mites are microscopic in size and can only be viewed under a microscope. if you can see them, they be lice

There are thousands of species of mites.. only depluming mites are microscopic relative to poultry keeping.

Red "roost" mites (don't live on the birds but only come out to feed on them at night) and northern fowl mites are easily seen with the naked eye.

 

[aart]

I wonder if some kind of beetle infestation.

There are all kinds of insects in the world, just because they are found in a chicken coop doesn't mean they will hurt the birds.
With warmer temps coming on they are hatching, often a bunch of insects just 'bloomed' don't last long...many only have a life cycle of a few days..
So no need to spray poison on your birds but might want to change out your nest bedding.

I examine my birds off the roost at night, after acclimating them to being touched at that time. I wear a dimmable tiltable headlight.

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.

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

 

[Sussex19]

I didnt know that, thank you! So this is lice, or possibly some other type of insect.

Most mites can be seen by the naked eye.
I know lice very well, and these are 100% not lice!
I would say they are either mites, or some other kind of bug.
If you like, I can get some pics of red roost mites, as just last night I found I had an infestation in my coop.

 

[Sussex19]

@Frazzled chicken tender sorry for the late reply, I've been a bit busy.
Here are the photos. I had not been checking their coops as well as I usually do, and so had not realized that they had come back.
If you have a wooden coop with cracks, please check them regularly everyone.
First pic is their hiding spot.

And now this is them, after I scrap them out, with my hand in it for a bit of scale.

A close up.

 

[aart]

I had to zoom in and lighten the pics.....I don't think these bugs are either lice or mites.
They look to be some kind of beetle.

@Frazzled chicken tender
Check on the birds skin before treating.
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Isadora]

But I'm gearing myself up to go down and somehow turn them upside down to look.

It doesn't need to be this complicated. If you pick up one of the girls and hold her under your arm so her tail is at the front, you can gently tip her and part the feathers with your free hand to check for egg clumps.
But if your rooster is aggressive, definitely don't do this in the pen where he could get you.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I had to zoom in and lighten the pics.....I don't think these bugs are either lice or mites.

That's what I was thinking.