Baby chicks bought from TSC

[newchickenmommava]

Hi,

We are new to raising chickens and need some guidance. We bought 12 chicks from TSC. They are about a week old. We bought the TSC starter kit and the TSC brand of pine shavings. We give them dirt from outside to have as grit and to dust bath in. My question is can they either be bought with already having mites or can they get it from the dirt outside or their pine shavings. I don't know for sure if they have them. I am speculating that they might because after three or four days of having them it feels like something is biting us the humans but you can't see what it is biting you. If they do have them then how do we get rid of them. Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

I wouldn't think chicks from a hatchery would have mites/lice, but it would be good to look them over really well to see if you find any crawling bugs.

Where did the dirt come from? Maybe from that?
Hard to know - maybe you are allergic to the pine shavings, chicks, dirt, etc.

Do you have a coop/run ready? Any way you can get the chicks outside soon -- they are dusty and that fluff that they shed is sticky/oily and gets everywhere.

 

[newchickenmommava]

The dirt came from our yard. We shoveled some up and put it in a shallow pan and put it in their brooder for them to have an area to dust bath in. I did read on here that someone bought the TSC pine shavings and it had mites in it???

We have taken them outside maybe 3 times when it was warm out to walk around and play. We have the coop done we built our own but need to put up the fencing.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The dirt came from our yard. We shoveled some up and put it in a shallow pan and put it in their brooder for them to have an area to dust bath in. I did read on here that someone bought the TSC pine shavings and it had mites in it???

Could be the shavings...I've never encountered that, but anything is possible.
Do you see anything crawling?
Do the chicks act like they are irritated by some type of bug?
Chicks at that age are a little "itchy" since they are losing down and pin feathers will be coming in, so you will see them scratch a bit, but if they are all itching like mad, then I would suspect some type of bug.

The only thing I can think of you doing is taking the shavings out. Replace with new or you can use puppy pads to line your brooder. See if that makes any difference.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Chickens can have red mites, and they can transfer to humans, but you would see them. You wouldn't just be itchy, you could see them on you and the chicks as well. I suspect you are allergic to something else entirely. Could be the chicks, the bedding, the dust from their feathers, anything. I suggest you move your chicks outside ASAP. If the chicks are happy and not itching constantly (they will preen, but not all the time) and you stop itching as well, then problem solved. Let's face it, as my father told me from childhood: "livestock belong outside, not in the house". Good Luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Probably going to be hard to do a check on the chicks but pick some of them up, part the down, and look at the skin for very tiny pin dots zipping around (that would be northern fowl mites).

If you suspect they're biting you, you may also see tiny dots running up your hands after handling the chicks.

 

[newchickenmommava]

Ok thank you guys for your help. They were in the house but we moved them to the garage. I stopped going around them for a few days and let my husband tend to them and I started to feel less itchy or bugs crawling on me. We never see any bugs not even on the chickens believe me I made my husband look them over! But my husband after cleaning their brooder and handling them one night washed his hands and came to bed and he said he felt the same itchy feeling and felt like bugs were on him as well. As soon as he touched me it started all over again. I have had to be around them more the last two days due to him going back to work and we both feel itchy, like bugs crawling and biting us. It's all over our face, hair, whole body. I dk I have washed the sheets on hot and our blankets and sprayed the house with bug spray and bombed under the house. It has been crazy and yet my husband brought home 2 baby turkeys and 4 baby Bantam chickies on Friday lol. He has gone chickie/bird crazy!

 

[Peppercorngal]

Ok thank you guys for your help. They were in the house but we moved them to the garage. I stopped going around them for a few days and let my husband tend to them and I started to feel less itchy or bugs crawling on me. We never see any bugs not even on the chickens believe me I made my husband look them over! But my husband after cleaning their brooder and handling them one night washed his hands and came to bed and he said he felt the same itchy feeling and felt like bugs were on him as well. As soon as he touched me it started all over again. I have had to be around them more the last two days due to him going back to work and we both feel itchy, like bugs crawling and biting us. It's all over our face, hair, whole body. I dk I have washed the sheets on hot and our blankets and sprayed the house with bug spray and bombed under the house. It has been crazy and yet my husband brought home 2 baby turkeys and 4 baby Bantam chickies on Friday lol. He has gone chickie/bird crazy!

If it weren't so disturbing and uncomfortable for you I'd just laugh out loud. I'm glad you put the chicks in the garage, but husband bought more?????? Hilarious really! I can see one person having an allergic reaction, but both of you? I hope you learn to live with it because you gots the chickens for a long, long time! Good Luck!