Vexing little bugs. Can anyone ID?

[Audie_and_Mike]

We’ve got a swarm of little bugs in one of our outdoor chicken boxes. What on earth are these and will they munch on our chickens’ feed? Do we need to get rid of ‘em and with what (Neem)?

Pics should attach. From a couple feet away they look like thousands of little red chiggers, up close they’re kind of brown / almost clear.

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[CFLRanching]

They look almost like termites (especially if they're whitish/clear)

 

[CFLRanching]

Hard exoskeletons or soft??

 

[Audie_and_Mike]

So far I can’t trap one under my nail to see if they’re hard or soft but I’ll get one soon. They move fast. The first thing I said was termites. Our house has been treated and the coop & run shouldn’t stay wet for long as it gets good wind exposure.

At any rate I sure don’t want em eating our feed and absolutely not on the chickens. They have a dust bath and we’re going to add a little extra wood ash.

 

[Audie_and_Mike]

Booklice?

 

[CFLRanching]

Pyrmethrin spray will prob work on them. If it's termites they won't hurt your chickens (we find some under rotten logs and pallets sometimes and the chickens eat them) but you definitely don't want them getting into the wood in your coop as they tunnel pretty quickly and hollow out wood before you know of the damage they've done.

 

[Audie_and_Mike]

Thank you CFLRanching!

/cheers