Name that bug!

[Mikchicken]

Hi there!

I’m attaching a photo of some type of mite? I found in clusters in my coop while cleaning it today. Seems to be near where the straw is.
This is new straw, and I change the shavings regularly and have never seen these. Chickens don’t seem bothered by them? Anyone know what this is?

Hard to see because they are so small.

Vet is coming on Saturday for a checkup

 

[dawg53]

I magnified them and they are still tough to get a good look at them. If you can, pick one up and count how many legs it has. Lice have 6 legs, mites have 8 legs.
They may not even be poultry external parasites. I'm sure the vet will let you know.

 

[Mikchicken]

I magnified them and they are still tough to get a good look at them. If you can, pick one up and count how many legs it has. Lice have 6 legs, mites have 8 legs.
They may not even be poultry external parasites. I'm sure the vet will let you know.

Thank you so much for replying! Sorry it was so hard to get a good pic of them because they were so small! I think you’re right - maybe they are wood mites?

 

[dawg53]

It's possible they could be wood mites.
Poultry lice and mites are parasites. Parasites rarely leave their host. However, I believe Red poultry mites leave chickens after getting their fill of sucking blood and hide in cracks in wood during daylight hours, and come back out at night to feed on the chickens again.

 

[Mikchicken]

I wish I could share a video because that shows them a bit better. Let’s say it is lice or mites, what would be my best treatments? I do have the vet coming on Saturday, but I’d love to get moving on things if I can before she comes.

 

[dawg53]

Permethrin dust will take care of them, wood mites included.
It would be best to pick up each chicken and closely inspect each chicken. Lice are white/off white or straw in color. Look for lice eggs on feather shafts. Inspect the vent area where it's warm and moist.
Mites are black or red in color. They suck blood, cause anemia, then death.
Simply inspect all your birds first before dusting. No need to dust them if they dont have external parasites on them.

As for the coop and 'wood mites' and/or poultry lice/mites; put a pile of Permethrin dust at the entrance to the coop. Ensure all vents are closed or sealed. Be prepared to close the coop door.
Bring a leaf blower to the coop and turn it on full blast on the pile of Permethrin dust. It will look like a smoke bomb went off inside the coop. The dust will get in every crack and crevice and will kill lice and mites, and any other bugs inside the coop.
Make sure you close the coop door so the chickens cant get inside it. Wear chicken clothes and shoes, wear a mask.
It'll take a few hours for the dust to settle inside the coop. It would be best to start in the morning and it should be settled in about 4 or 5 hours, maybe less depending on the size of the coop.
Once the dust has settled, you can let your chickens inside it.
You'll have to repeat this procedure in 10-12 days to eliminate any lice or mites hatched from eggs.

 

[raingarden]

They don't look mites or lice to me. There's million of different insects. Most are benificial and few are of concern to chickens or ourselves.