I bought a 50 lb. bag of Purina Start & Grow from TSC about 3 weeks ago, and started using it when our chicks arrived last week. This morning I noticed moving "dust" all over it. This is of course sitting in the carpeted spare bedroom where our brooder is 
After researching, it seems these are grain mites and not harmful to the chicks? They're tiny white specks, like tiny grains of salt. They were inside the bag too, though I couldn't find them in a handful of feed.
I don't remember seeing an expiration date on the bag when I bought it, and of course it was the ONLY bag left of medicated starter. We're not that close to TSC, so we're thinking of running to Agway and getting their starter. Didn't find much written about it here.
Is this harmful to my chicks? Doesn't seem so, but I want to make sure.
Is this because the bag was older? We're going to dump it, as we have no room to freeze it all and I'm afraid that would lead to moisture and mold when "thawing". I
Any tips on cleaning the room? We were going to steam clean after moving the babies out, but of course they're only a week old. I was planning on vacuuming right now and then maybe wiping the area with soapy rags? I'd wanted to get metal cans for storage but when I'd gone back to Agway they were gone. Stupid stupid stupid. I'm disgusted right now, and I'm not that bug-averse in general. Blech. I bet they blasted in my face as I folded the top of the bag down. Want to bleach my home now.
This little chick adventure has not exactly gone smoothly. First a silkie decides to spend a day listless and not eating/drinking, then yesterday we found the red silkie with a crop the size of a ping pong ball, and now this. Still feeling mites all over me.
After researching, it seems these are grain mites and not harmful to the chicks? They're tiny white specks, like tiny grains of salt. They were inside the bag too, though I couldn't find them in a handful of feed.
I don't remember seeing an expiration date on the bag when I bought it, and of course it was the ONLY bag left of medicated starter. We're not that close to TSC, so we're thinking of running to Agway and getting their starter. Didn't find much written about it here.
Is this harmful to my chicks? Doesn't seem so, but I want to make sure.
Is this because the bag was older? We're going to dump it, as we have no room to freeze it all and I'm afraid that would lead to moisture and mold when "thawing". I
Any tips on cleaning the room? We were going to steam clean after moving the babies out, but of course they're only a week old. I was planning on vacuuming right now and then maybe wiping the area with soapy rags? I'd wanted to get metal cans for storage but when I'd gone back to Agway they were gone. Stupid stupid stupid. I'm disgusted right now, and I'm not that bug-averse in general. Blech. I bet they blasted in my face as I folded the top of the bag down. Want to bleach my home now.
This little chick adventure has not exactly gone smoothly. First a silkie decides to spend a day listless and not eating/drinking, then yesterday we found the red silkie with a crop the size of a ping pong ball, and now this. Still feeling mites all over me.
