Unknown pest. Possibly a mite.

[JasyChixMix]

I'm hoping the picture loads. I have these very small black bugs on some of the legs of my chickens. My RIR has it the worst, but I can't treat something when I don't know what im treating for. This picture is a golden comet hen, I only found one on her. I mite and live check regularly and have never found mites or lice or nits of any sort on this flock before. The chickens aren't showing signs of distress from said bugs but it might be a bit. TIA Any help is appreciated!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If they are mites they will be moving. Mites don't sit still.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I will second oldhenlikesdogs.

Scaly leg or scaly feet mites are invisible to the human eye, they are just too small to see without a microscope. If you do have mites then I think that you are either looking at the Northern Fowl Mite or else the Roost or Red Mite. The red mite is so named because when one that has recently been feeding on your chickens is smashed it leaves behind a small smear of chicken blood.

 

[JasyChixMix]

They definitely move around. Maybe I'll just try some mite treatments and see if they help.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

A good pyrethrin or pyrethrum based spray or dust works good. Treat weekly for 3-4 weeks. Treat birds and all roost cracks and nestboxes. Anywhere there are cracks where mites can hide. Make sure your birds have a good place to dust bath.

 

[JasyChixMix]

A good pyrethrin or pyrethrum based spray or dust works good. Treat weekly for 3-4 weeks. Treat birds and all roost cracks and nestboxes. Anywhere there are cracks where mites can hide. Make sure your birds have a good place to dust bath.

Since I can't get to a store till Friday I made a spray of water, dish soap, garlic, and clove oil. But I'll look into where I can get some, thank you.

 

[family pack]

Four weeks ago we found tiny black bugs in coop and on chickens we dusted the chickens with de and move them to an open air coop , they have not been back in that coop since , but need to move them to the coop for winter , we live in Fairbanks Alaska and it is very cold here during winter so how do treat the coop ?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Four weeks ago we found tiny black bugs in coop and on chickens we dusted the chickens with de and move them to an open air coop , they have not been back in that coop since , but need to move them to the coop for winter , we live in Fairbanks Alaska and it is very cold here during winter so how do treat the coop ?

A good pyrethrin or pyrethrum based spray or dust works good. Treat weekly for 3-4 weeks. Treat birds and all roost cracks and nestboxes. Anywhere there are cracks where mites can hide. Make sure your birds have a good place to dust bath.

DE really does nothing but irritated the lungs. Get treating with a proper product formulated to kill mites.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Four weeks ago we found tiny black bugs in coop and on chickens we dusted the chickens with de and move them to an open air coop , they have not been back in that coop since , but need to move them to the coop for winter , we live in Fairbanks Alaska and it is very cold here during winter so how do treat the coop ?

First determine what it is that you are dealing with. That to a large degree determines how you treat.