Uh oh.....two weeks into "the sit" and there is black moving specs........

[The Wild Hen]

I have two mamas that are currently broody in two separate nest boxes. They've been sitting almost two weeks. Tonight upon assisting them to the watering hole and such I noticed on one of the collections of eggs I could see little, tiny, and I mean tiny, almost microscopic black specks moving around all over her eggs. All 6 eggs. When mama came back I took a peek in her feathers and she has them in there too what in the world kind of bug could be alive in the most northern part of Iowa where it's like 0 degrees on a good day??? Any ideas? My chickens have access to a dust bathing area in their coop where there is a combination of dird, DE and fireplace ash AND they are free to come and go as they please to free range. Yes even in the cold and snow, though they do less of it on the bitter days. The only thing I will say is she probably isn't partaking in the dust bathing or the free ranging much as she's steadfast in her egg sitting. Then my other thought is, uh oh, when they hatch will all the chicks have the moving specs too? Oh this sounds like a vicious cycle. What could they be? I'm all ears. TIA

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mites can get out of control on broody hens. I would dust them once weekly with a pyrethrin or permetherin based poultry dust for 3-4 weeks.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Prozap 1499540 Garden & Poultry Dust, 2 Lb
by PROZAP
Add this to their dust baths and sprinkle it around your coop and in your birds.