Daytime small bugs - mite? Lice? Clover mites?

[PileatedFarms]

Hey all!

Before I get started I'll just mention that I'll add a photo as soon as I can take one/see more of the bugs

We have a hen who was inside in a cage for a few days working on a large crop she has (different issues lol) and today when I went to pick her up, after putting her down I had about a dozen little teeny tiny bugs on my arm. We're talking the size of a freckle. There is no blood smear when killing them, and when I had been looking at her chest previously I didn't notice any mite build up.

I'm going to go out tonight and investigate further but there are no symptoms of mites (feather loss, lethargic girls, no reluctance to roost, no visual build up on vents that I know of)

I can't find any info on who would be active during the day??

I have Elector PSP on the way, and I'll do a coop clean out when it arrives but any ideas?

 

[Eggcessive]

Lice are most common, and look beige, fast moving, and are on 24/7. They leave white to gray clumps of eggs at the base of feathers. Mites are smaller, more slow moving, leaves
specks of droppings on the skin, and may be on all the time (northern fowl mites,) or just at night in the dark (Poultry mites.) Permethrin garden dust, permethrin spray, and Elector PSP are all good to treat chickens. Mites are treated at 7 day intervals, lice at 10 day intervals at least twice. The coop bedding and nests should be emptied far away, the coop, nests and roosts should be sprayed with permethrin or Elector. This article has pictures of what to look for:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

https://cpif.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/LIce-and-Mites-copy-3.pdf

 

[Eggcessive]

In a cold winter environment, the permethrin poultry garden dust may be preferred to the spray.

 

[PileatedFarms]

Lice are most common, and look beige, fast moving, and are on 24/7. They leave white to gray clumps of eggs at the base of feathers. Mites are smaller, more slow moving, leaves
specks of droppings on the skin, and may be on all the time (northern fowl mites,) or just at night in the dark (Poultry mites.) Permethrin garden dust, permethrin spray, and Elector PSP are all good to treat chickens. Mites are treated at 7 day intervals, lice at 10 day intervals at least twice. The coop bedding and nests should be emptied far away, the coop, nests and roosts should be sprayed with permethrin or Elector. This article has pictures of what to look for:
https://

Thank you so much! They were fast moving forsure - tiny little speed racers lol

I will forsure dispose of this bedding but there is a pile adjacent to their coop that is breaking down that they love to climb on. Is it safe to say I should get rid of all that? That'd be quite the task lol could I cover that area from them for while and the lice would break cycle?

Where would lice have originated from? Do they fair well in cold weather or will upcoming temps help deter them?

(Sorry for all these questions! Feel free to not answer them lol I just appreciate your insight!)

 

[PileatedFarms]

In a cold winter environment, the permethrin poultry garden dust may be preferred

Yes I had thought of that! We are thankfully having a warm spell and I hope the Elector PSP will come so I can get them early in the morning before a sunny day. But I will grab the dust as well incase I don't feel good about spraying.

Would it be smart to dust their entire run? It's a large area but I want to make sure I'm covering my bases. There are two straw bales in there for little hangouts that have been in there for a few months, should I take those out as well?

 

[Eggcessive]

Lice are more common in winter weather. They can be brought in on new birds and wild birds. Lice have 6 legs, while mites have 8 legs, so you might try a magnifying glass and have a look. I would always remove the bedding far away where the chickens don’t get into it. Mites can sometimes be brought in inside straw, but usually from mice and birds.

Yes, I would probably remove the bales and place new ones after treating them.

 

[PileatedFarms]

Lice are more common in winter weather. They can be brought in on new birds and wild birds. Lice have 6 legs, while mites have 8 legs, so you might try a magnifying glass and have a look. I would always remove the bedding far away where the chickens don’t get into it. Mites can sometimes be brought in inside straw, but usually from mice and birds.

Yes, I would probably remove the bales and place new ones after treating them.

Thank you so much! I will definitely try and get a better look when I see them again, I just kind of went into killing panic mode lol I had no idea lice were more common in winter weather. We do have a flock that we brought in a few months ago but are kept separate except two babies we secluded for a month and then introduced. They didn't show any signs of lice either but now I'm learning! Thanks again Eggcessive

 

[PileatedFarms]

Lice are more common in winter weather. They can be brought in on new birds and wild birds. Lice have 6 legs, while mites have 8 legs, so you might try a magnifying glass and have a look. I would always remove the bedding far away where the chickens don’t get into it. Mites can sometimes be brought in inside straw, but usually from mice and birds.

Yes, I would probably remove the bales and place new ones after treating them.

Can I use the bales in our garden?? The chickens never have access to it

 

[Eggcessive]

That would probably be okay since it should rot down eventually.

 

[MamaPoult]

When you go look report back what color the bugs were. When my girls had them they were straw color.