Mites?

[FarmMom99]

OK, newbie here. Sorry if this has been asked a gazillion times. I just went out to the coop to refill the food and shut them up for the night. I was about to open our galvanized trash bin where we store the feed and I thought there was sand on it. I thought that's weird and then looked more closely and it was moving! They look whitish in color on the can, but they are covering outside and inside! Blah! It has been really hot and wet here the past week and a half, like standing water. What do I do?? Does this mean they are inside the coop too? I don't know where to begin.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

Aj

 

[chickenychicken]

I think I've seen a video before of the moving sand things and it's....
The video I saw sounds like what you saw and I think that's probably lice. It could be mites but since there lighter I'd say lice. Check your hens by looking in their feather shafts mainly around their legs belly and tail. If you see those sand things and sand third on their feather base its lice but if there only on their skin it's probably mites. .... They do look discusting!
If you don't already give them a dust bath with DE in it and that should help.

 

[FarmMom99]

OK, thank you. I went out this morning and I looked at the chickens. I don't see anything on them but the feed bin is covered,inside and out. Is the feed bad now? Do you think it's possible they were in the feed or on the bag and hatched with this hot humid, wet weather? I don't see any of these creatures heading toward the coop? I don't see them in the coop either?

 

[FarmMom99]

After further research I think I have grain mites. Relieved but still need to figure out how to get rid of them!

 

[chickenychicken]

That's it grain mites
The feed they are on is bad, I wouldn't feed it to them. Clean your feed area and all the areas around your feed. You can mix DE In their feed to help keep those grain mites out of it. Also another way to help kill those grain mites is to re locate where your feeds being stored and make sure it's not wet, I think wet or moldy feed can cause those grain mites.