Tiny tiny black bugs in the chicken coop, help!

[ddmckell]

I'm so grateful for BYC. It's so nice to just ask a question and get such good advice without being made to feel stupid for asking. I have had my new little ones since Easter and am learning (sometimes painfully) as I go. I too just hours ago went to tuck my girls in and when I turned on their light found what seemed like a gazillion tiny solid black bugs around the corners of the coop. I can't sleep now worrying about them sleeping out there when they could be miserable and itchy. I will be able to see first thing in the morning how bad it is. My question is what if I have sand on the floor of the coop? Do I need to dig it all out and replace it or can I just it in and just change out all of their straw from their boxes? I also read someone was using bleach to spray down the coop. Is that ok? I have to admit I have used chemical insecticide in my yard in the past and have loved how quickly and how well it took care of the bugs. But last year I started growing a garden and this year have expanded it with alot of vertical planting and raised beds with vegetation that my new feathered babies can munch on so I have been avoiding any chemicals. But now...ugh! These little black bugs make my skin crawl. How bad is it for the chickens if I used a chemical to kill off the bugs. Can I temporarily house them in my garage while cleaning the coop and giving it a few days after using chemicals before putting them back in? Or is it just something to absolutely avoid using? The thought of having to remove all of the sand and replacing it about kills me. But I want to do what's best for my girls so...I will do whatever you say is best.

Sorry I'm long winded with a million questions. It's late and I can't sleep thinking about what to do first thing in the morning.

 

[mobius]

well if the bugs are on the chickens, and i don['t know what the bugs are, consider permethrin dust or spray for your babies. i feel the same, they are precious to me.

I am not a big fan of sand but it works in certain climates.e

Also make sure your chickens have access to a dustbath: in a pinch a rubbermaid tote with equal parts builders sand, peat moss and wood ash. Helps them stay healthy.

 

[mobius]

I am also not a big fan of bleach. This spring I used lemon Dawn (the lemon helps) and water to scrub down. All pine shavings removed and put in the run.

Sand holds liquid (ammonia etc) which attracts bugs and is unhealthy for chickens (think respiratory disorders).

But do what you think is necessary. Further, get rid of the straw. Use pine shavings if you can. I think pine shavings can go on top of the sand. To a point. And certainly can be used in the nesting boxes. But. I don't use sand, I just use pine shavings in the coop. The run is deep litter. Under the roost in the coop is a poop tray with Sweet PDZ AND sand in it that I use to remove poop with a cat litter scoop every couple-three days(which then goes in the compost pile). This approach keeps things pretty clean IMHO.

Consider if you are going to do a major cleanout, after the permethrin spray on chicks and dust in the coop, using whitewash on all exposed areas of the coop. That is what I do . I will look up my link for you. It has an effect on bugs, lice and mites.

Other than that I think when I did my last cleanout I used a citrus/vinegar spray.

 

[mobius]

Here is my whitewash thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...e-of-your-coop-recipe-cheap-and-easy.1096237/

 

[TinyBirds]

We had that happen years ago. I tried EVERYTHING both organic and not. Eventually had to use 1 tiny drop, using a needle injector type thing but not injecting it, just applying one drop, of frontline above the vent of each bird (the kind for dogs that goes on their back if i remember correctly). Then they were all gone. I gave away all my chickens to a breeder that knew the full story, and she said the bugs never resurfaced. I just couldn't handle it anymore after little bugs on ME, so tiny on my arms, whenever i went out to my chickens. I went without birds for 2 yrs and now have 60+ again with no problems. I feel your pain though!

 

[TinyBirds]

I forgot to mention though, most chicken bugs are gone after using a drop of pure neem oil at the vent and under arm pits of birds with lice, etc. It works within a day. It was just that one time I had with tiny black bugs (assume mites) and things like diatomaceous earth and neem oil did absolutely nothing to them after many attempts. I tried all sorts of essential oils, then went to chemicals which I dont remember names of (things other people were sure would work, like ivermectin i think) and I think it was an ameraucana breeder that mentioned the frontline and it was the only thing that worked for them too. Not that I recommend it as a first choice, but after exhausting other options it actually does work.

 

[TinyBirds]

I use open air coops and minimize use of wood now too to avoid getting mites I hope, other than the actual roosts currently.

For nestboxes my favorite are the european-made roll out nest boxes from jeffers, $40 each but hens love them and no dirty eggs for me to deal with.

 

[mobius]

Neem oil def worth a shot. The permethrin is natural too...fortunate we can get it at ag centers.

 

[Maggiemakrel]

Hi, we have this exact same problem. Tiny black bugs all in coop and the sugar cane mulch. They are not live or mites, you can barely see them and they crawl all over when I clean the coop and even when picking up the eggs! They even live in the grass in the pen. I normally use the sugarcane mulch from the coop around my fruit trees and plants, and now these tiny bugs are living there too. I thought they needed the chickens to survive, I thought they sucked blood from them in the coop, but doesn't seem like it as they are happy to now live around my frit trees and even in the lawn. They crawl all over my legs when I walk in the pen. The pen is very big and I've got 4 chickens. I've treated chickens and coop a few weeks in a row with vinegar, clover oil, tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil. It might have solved it momentarily, but they just return within a few days because they live all over! Obviously I'll stop using the mulch in my garden . But I don't know how to treat the whole pen and my garden to get rid of these bugs once and for all! I think they might have come with the new sugar cane mulch I bought last time... Help please!

 

[Ber]

I've also just noticed these tiny bugs!! they were crawling on my face when I finished being in the coop, yuck!! We just put the plastic around the coop for the winter. It is open on the bottom and has wheel so we pull it up close to the house for the winter. It's only a small 4 chicken coop. I haven't noticed them ever before, and my chickens free range in the fenced in back yard. I put straw I had in our little shed from last year into the coop for winter bedding. I was wondering if anyone out there could tell me if this could be where the bugs came from?? My chickens are in great health so I can't imagine these bugs have been around for long. If it is from the old straw, I could just throw that out and buy new, or buy some DE and put it all over the straw.
Any ideas or comments would be really appreciated!!! thanks everyone!

Ihavethese tiny bugs too and have no idea what or where they are from. I have cleaned my coop top to bottom. scraped, vacuumed and shovelef. swept the actual run (i let them free range and then they come into their run, then they go to bed...we have a schedule, lol). I dusted with DE and it seemed to take care of them but, theyre back, but this time I found them in their GIANT water feeder. I didnt have it filled for them, they have 3 and this one was leaking so i left it until i could check it out. Went to check it out and lots of those flea like, gnat like, mite like bugs were in it. First i thought it was just some dirt but, it was them! I dont know what to do about them. I dont use straw except for in the winter, I use shavings in their nesting boxes now. Ive noticed the bugs no matter what I use. DE or spraying rubbing alcohol destroys them, for a short time. Sorry I cant help more...Im looking to get rid of em, too.