Coop infested with earwigs.

[barg]

Should I care?

Can they do any harm?

I had seen a few around; they are all over out in the yard, so I didn’t think much of it.
I had also seen a few in the coop and had seen the chickens relaxing and eating the occasion one that happened by.

When I moved the coop recently, it became apparent how many of these things there are in there, hundreds, maybe thousands.

I looked them up and didn’t see anything about them eating wood, but I never found anything that said they didn’t either.

Anyone know of any cause for concern or should I just consider them “free lunch" for the chickens

 

[dlhunicorn]

http://www.wvu.edu/~exten/infores/pubs/pest/hpm9001.pdf

 

[barg]

Great link, thanks!
Looks like they amount to, kinda disgusting but really, no more then a free lunch.
It also sounds like the coop is the absolute perfect place for them to want to be, so I guess they aren’t going anywhere until winter ... if ever.

Thanks again for the info, next time though, could you edit yourself?
I had a hard time finding the relevant information in all your banter

 

[silkiechicken]

Every morning I open the door and a big pile of them fall to the floor. The chicks eat a few.... then run to the cat dish!!!

That was a good article. Never really thought they did anything other than be a nuisance.

 

[theOEGBman]

Every morning I open the door and a big pile of them fall to the floor

Same here. It went on for a few weeks and they all just chowed down. Havent seen many the past couple of weeks. Now I've got a huge swarm of ants. ​

 

[TreyClark281]

i got those too i just called them pincher bugs lol. they come by the dozens lol.
good artical.