Tiny little swarming bugs...

[HenPecked_bychildren]

Every time I go out to the chicks coop I get covered in tiny gnat like bugs. Chicken lice don't fly right? I'm just dealing with gnats? The other chickens don't have any(different coop) but the chicks coop is infected! The dumb things won't roost, so they just sit on each other and crap all night.

It makes it impossible to daily clean out because it's mashed into the shavings. Ick.

Just tell me lice don't fly and swarm.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html
This website has a chart with descriptions of lice and mites.

When my chickens had the northern fowl mite, they DID jump on me. Even just me walking out to the coops and opening the doors, getting eggs, etc. They bit me several times, too.

I never saw them on the chickens, even though I inspected them carefully. I know what gnats look like, but I really can't help you decide which bug it is without seeing it. Are your chickens shaking their heads every 5-15 seconds like they are trying to get something off their necks?

 

[HenPecked_bychildren]

Quote:
No they aren't shaking their heads. And these aren't jumping, definitely flying. I don't know if I can get a picture with my camera though.