Mites?

[sawilliams]

Understand I didn't see these in the coop, they are actually on/near a piece that we removed from the coop. I'm thinking they might be recent hatches or something and they came out of the wood during to the wet weather. I have been having some issues with a few girls roosting at night for the past few weeks too

what cought my eye was the way they were floating in this shallow puddle like ants

One the board the puddle is near

A close up of the bugs

This is the image that made me think mites, the pink especially red color of some of the bugs.


I spread some DE in the coop and around the roosting bars becuase that's all I have on hand.

Advice would be appreciated.

 

[rebrascora]

I don't know what they are, but they are not red poultry mites.

 

[sawilliams]

I'm thinking more like mite larva, like they aren't full grown yet.

 

[rebrascora]

No, I don't think they are poultry mite larvae either. Too large and wrong shape.

 

[shortgrass]

I can't see very well...but maybe sowbug pupae? They like wood and dark places....but the chickens would be eating them if they were... Hmmm weird buggies



Termites maybe? Eeek!

 

[sawilliams]

So it might be fleas (they hop). My cats and dogs haven't had any this year, but somes years they get so bad you can actually watch the jumping in the grass. I did check the chickens and did not see any signs of lice or mites...

 

[rebrascora]

I'm wondering if they might be immature wood lice.

 

[shortgrass]

I'm wondering if they might be immature wood lice.

Lol I had to look that up, wood lice and sow bugs are the same thing!

I always wondered what they were actually called... We get them in the wood piles and under stumps, door mats, tires, the water pans, literally everywhere. They love dark moist places and I always show the chickens where they are and the gobble them right up. They're pink like that when they're small, too... I've never seen one jump, though.. But I don't really watch them that close

 

[aart]

Not mites or termites.

 

[sawilliams]

Idk, but I'm finding a lot more with all this rain we are having its like they are being forces out of the ground or something, but I'm not finding them in puddles in the yard? I found them inside a bucket half full of water on the side of the house and on some of the kids toys on the porch. I don't really get it. But it's been a lot wetter this year then it has been in over 5 years so maybe that has somethingb to do with it