Ever get "no seeums" with your baby chicks?

[JeffandLori]

We just got a shipment of baby chicks in today. I set the brooder- 6' x 6' x 2' plywood box up on the back patio on Sunday. Put the bedding in Monday. Heat lamps went on Wednesday morning to check temp.

Today we put 56 baby chicks in there and every time I go out, I get bit by no seeums. Pretty significant swarm, it seems. I noticed it right away after putting them in there. If you live in the south- you know what they are. I'm thinking either:

1. They came with the chicks.
2. The chicks have called them for some reason.

This is the third batch we've done in this brooder and never had this issue. But we've also never done more than 15 at a time before, either.

Any thoughts?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Is there wet ground around where you are brooding? Gnats generally reproduce in wet soil.

 

[JeffandLori]

Is there wet ground around where you are brooding? Gnats generally reproduce in wet soil.

Not any more than normal. It's been pretty dry the last couple of months. This is all on a screened in back porch. We haven't had issues with them before. Kind of odd.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Any potted plants near by? I would try using some fungus gnat sticky traps to see if it helps.

 

[Kentucky Fan]

A lot of times potting soil will have them in it.

 

[JeffandLori]

Sounds like the consensus is it's odd for it to be caused by the chicks and look for another source.

Thx!

 

[TwoCrows]

Check for mites, look at the vents and behind the neck where mites hide....red skin, looks like dirt at the base of the feathers.... Mites will bite you if they are in the brooder.

 

[JeffandLori]

Check for mites, look at the vents and behind the neck where mites hide....red skin, looks like dirt at the base of the feathers.... Mites will bite you if they are in the brooder.

Thx. I checked about 10 of them and didn't see anything on their skin or any signs of distress. I did see some very small black specs on a few of them, but not at the base of the down, more on the edges and it didn't move, so I'm guessing dirt. I took photos and zoomed in and it appears like dirt.

If I stand really still, a couple of times I saw light gray flecks in the air- like dandruff or ash when not handling a chick. Just standing there. I couldn't tell if they were just floating or flying. I may put a Thermacell near the brooder.

Would it be worth a sprinkle of poultry dust?

If there's no harm to the chicks, I'm fine to let it run its course. With 56 of them, I don't want to take any chances.

 

[TwoCrows]

If I stand really still, a couple of times I saw light gray flecks in the air- like dandruff or ash when not handling a chick.

This sounds like molting dander. Chicks will molt 6 or 7 times before growing in their final adult feathers. They will preen off the feather papilla, it's a thin skin like covering on the growing feather. This stuff is very dusty, chicks can gag you with their dust.

 

[Penpal]

You might try putting up fly paper. Fly paper is super sticky, but for little gnats probably a couple strips of packing tape would work.