Found mites(?) on hatching egg, but nowhere else!

[chicklets81]

I have 2 broody hens I moved to dog crates in my basement (they are too big for the doorway of my coop).

I moved them there on tuesday, 1 day before hatch day.

They each have their own crate. I picked up one of the hatching eggs to see if the chick had pipped yet, and there were little white bugs crawling on them, maybe 5 or 6.

I've been researching this, and I think they are mites.

However, I went into coop last night with flashlight, and I don't see ANY signs of these white things. I saw them on the egg in basement, and know what they look like. They are hard to see, but with very good vision, you can if you really look hard.

I even checked in the vents of *ALL* of my chickens. Some let me get a good look, others whined, but I didn't see any type of egg clusters.

I was hoping to see something, but I didn't.

The only thing I did notice is that some of the chickens were scratching their heads..kinda much like a dog does with his leg. But i've never spent *hours* in the coop before watching their exact behavior to see what their night routine is, so I'm not sure.

I was planning on treating for mites if I do infact have them, but its gonna be a big job, and wanted to get some concrete evidence before I have to spend all day cleaning, and then wood-ash dusting every chicken..theres 35 chickens total so thats a lot of dusting.

Is there another way I can tell for sure that I have mites in the coop?

None of them have mite eggs near their vent, or lice, and don't see anything clung to their feathers.

Thanks for your help.

 

[sourland]

Check the nest sites where the hens were setting. They are most likely to be infested.

 

[chicklets81]

I have egg crates as nesting boxes, and brought both boxes into the basement. I checked the egg crate that that particular hen was in, and saw nothing crawling around.