Massive infestation

[bgtmfsher77]

Hey everyone. About 5 months back we got 4 back yard hens for egg laying. Been having a great time so far. I was outside playing with the girls today when I noticed these grey tiny tiny bugs jumping and crawling around the back patio. As I started to look further I found more and more and more. Everywhere! When I grabbed a handful of the barkdust they came out in heaves. They don't look like mites and they jump almost like a flea. I treated the entire backyard with permethrin about 2 months back because we thought they had mites but they didnt. Anyways hopefully you guys can help me narrow this down. It is about to get cold here so my guess is they will die but I need them gone.

 

[foreverlearning]

Not sure what they are but check your girls vent to see if there is a problem. I would dust the girls, coop, and yard just to make sure but that's just me.

 

[bgtmfsher77]

What am I looking for on the vent?

 

[aart]

What am I looking for on the vent?

Look for lice and mites. It would help to know your location for others to chime in.

The bugs in the bark might not be a problem....do they bite?
Is the bark a new addition to the yard?

You may have killed off these bugs predators when you doused the yard with permethrin causing a population explosion in these bugs.

Might want to take some of these bugs in a jar to a local nursery, they may be able to tell you what they are....or just sell you some more poison.

 

[foreverlearning]

Also, look for any bite marks or rashes to see if these guys are causing a problem with the girls. I never thought about bringing them to a nursery to find out... that's a great idea you should try.

 

[bgtmfsher77]

I live in the portland or area. The bark was layed down at the beginning of summer. I don't think they bite us but not sure on the chickens

 

[bgtmfsher77]

If I dust everything again is it going to work since it started raining recently. I.e. the bark

 

[foreverlearning]

Do it at a dry time for it to work or get liquid sevin. I would suggest however to see if they are causing any problems with your birds first. If they don't cause any problems than I wouldn't worry about it as they would be free extra food for the birds.

 

[aart]

Show them to the chickens, they might eat them!

If they aren't harmful, why do you want to kill them?

Their population explosion was likely caused by the last batch of poison...more poison probably won't help in the long run.

 

[aggiemae]

I live in Oregon and our yard is filled with these tiny bugs. I never noticed them before this year. Maybe they have been here all along and this year the weather was right for them to over breed?

Alas, only one of our chickens even notices them....the other hens follow her around trying to figure out what she is pecking at. She pecks at them all day long but I am not sure how many she actually eats.