What are these biting gnats and how do I get rid of them?

[BesideStillWaters]

I had 30+ of these awful things on one of my roosters at once. Can't knock them all off, they come back too fast. Now there is a whole cloud of them terrorizing my flock, and my chickens are all hiding in the henhouse trying to get away from them. What are these things and how can I get rid of them?! I suspect they either came from the cattle nearby or from the five chicken houses. We seem to have biting fly problems every year, but I don't remember gnats like these. I've read that a Permethrin Dilution is good for this and it's safe for chickens? I've already used some diatomaceous earth and some seven dust, but I don't like using dust on the chickens because I don't want them to breathe any of it.

This is the best photo I could get of one. Sorry, it's slightly blurry; they were biting me too.

 

[Smileybans]

https://the-chicken-chick.com/protecting-chickens-from-killer-black-flies-buffalo-gnats/

Could these be it? I know I’ve seen the same type of fly around my run. On the ground though. I haven’t gotten bitten yet but I’m going to be on the look out now. They fly trap I have up didn’t seem to work for these flys.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

https://the-chicken-chick.com/protecting-chickens-from-killer-black-flies-buffalo-gnats/

Could these be it? I know I’ve seen the same type of fly around my run. On the ground though. I haven’t gotten bitten yet but I’m going to be on the look out now. They fly trap I have up didn’t seem to work for these flys.

Yes, that looks like them. I hope you can find a way to get rid of them too! I didn't realize they could be deadly. I lost two chickens a couple of weeks ago, very randomly. Now I wonder if this is what happened... I had people say, "Chickens should eat the gnats." But there are too many for chickens to eat, and they can't eat them when the gnats are on their faces.

 

[Smileybans]

I’m dusting my coop with permethrin at least once a month. I haven’t had an outbreak of lice but in that link it says the permethrin on the birds can help keep them away. I might start using it in the heavily populated fly areas to see if it helps.

I just thought they were regular flies and hung up a fly trap. Now I’m thinking they’re these things. I didn’t even realize they bit let alone could kill my chickens.

Sorry for the loss of your chickens. That sounds horrible... all over their faces??! I don’t even want to imagine that.

 

[aart]

Fans are about the only thing to deter them.
Nasty buggers.

 

[Smileybans]

Fans are about the only thing to deter them.
Nasty buggers.

I was hoping there was another way. Since I didn’t want to run another wire to my run.

 

[cmom]

I used permethrin weekly for around a month. I mixed it on the heavy side and it worked.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Fans are about the only thing to deter them.
Nasty buggers.

I have a fan and dad wired the chicken house with electricity so I can do this easily. Do I need to aim the fan at the chickens (I've heard the breeze is bad for them?) or am I just trying to circulate the air and not put the air directly onto the chickens?

I was hoping there was another way. Since I didn’t want to run another wire to my run.

Aww.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

I used permethrin weekly for around a month. I mixed it on the heavy side and it worked.

We bought some and are going to try it out! When do you apply it? Day, night? Am I spraying the walls or and I spaying the air where I see gnats flying? Do I need to spray the yard only or the inside of the henhouse too? Will I need to rake up any scattered feed after spraying so they won't eat it after it gets sprayed?

Thanks! I found this chart that @casportpony made for the ratio: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/permethrin-dilution.1448295/#post-24089092

We bought this one:

 

[cmom]

That will work. Spray everywhere you see them. I carefully sprayed in the air where I saw them flying and the surfaces they land on. I sprayed everywhere but removed the feed and water before spraying. The pest were very annoying. Mix the heaviest which is 0.5%, 6.4 oz to a gallon of water. I use a gallon sprayer with a wand and spray everything the pest will land on. The wand helps to get into places easier. I have poop pits underneath my roosts and sprayed in there too. Good luck...

1:19

6.4 ounces

190ml

0.5%