Saw a mystery bug on an egg - time to freak out or not?

[harriedhomemaker]

So I was collecting eggs this afternoon and I noticed a little bug crawling on one of the eggs. It was pretty small and beige-ish in color. I blew it off the egg and didn't think about it much until I came back inside. Could it have been a mite?

My birds have access to a dust box filled with DE, peat moss, and sand. It has also been really dry outside so they dust bathe in their run, too. Before I filled their nest boxes with pine shavings, I dusted DE inside that, too.

I went back outside and looked around the coop some more. I didn't see anything, but I understand that mites are nocturnal, so I guess I wouldn't necessarily see anything anyway. I rubbed the roosts down really well with DE and sprinkled more DE in their outdoor dust bath spots.

All my birds look great. I haven't inspected all of them for external parasite yet, but everyone is healthy and their feathers are in good condition.

Should I do anything else or just keep an eye on things?

 

[dawg53]

It couldve been a louse by your description. I recommend that you inspect your birds for lice/mites. If you see either, dust your birds with sevin dust; coop, nests and roosts as well. Then redust your birds, coop, nests, roosts again in 7-10 days. Here's a link to help you identify what you mightve seen:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140

 

[harriedhomemaker]

It couldve been a louse by your description. I recommend that you inspect your birds for lice/mites. If you see either, dust your birds with sevin dust; coop, nests and roosts as well. Then redust your birds, coop, nests, roosts again in 7-10 days. Here's a link to help you identify what you mightve seen:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140

Hmm... I don't think it looked like a louse as far it's body shape. I wish I had paid better attention, but if I had seen it anywhere but in my coop I would have just thought it was a very small, strangely colored beetle.

Well, I'll definitely give everyone a once-over this evening. We try to do things as naturally as possible - do you know of any alternatives to Sevin?

 

[harriedhomemaker]

I checked 7 of my girls (including the one that lay the egg with the mystery bug) per your advice, dawg53. Everyone was squeaky clean. I guess I'll just keep an eye out for any other signs.