What kind of bugs are these???

[betty70]

Wow, Nurse_turtle, that's great! Can't wait to hear what s/he says! I agree...I love learning something new too!

 

[nurse_turtle]

Just got a response from the entomologist who, unfortunately, cannot make an ID based on those photos. She said the pics were too unclear and too small. So.....

Again, I suspect a grain beetle, but they wouldn't be biting the hens I don't think. The search continues.

 

[canesisters]

Wow! Just reading this makes me itch. Hope you find out what they are soon - and how to kill them.

 

[nurse_turtle]

Also, there are many varieties of lice. Check the bases of the feathers around your hens vent area and look for clumps of hard white lice eggs and any crawling adults

Some lice is clear and pale yellow/white and others can look brown and dark colored.

 

[betty70]

I wish I could get a better pic, but I know it's my not-so-great camera that's limiting me. Maybe I can get a friend to take some better ones...I'll work on that...

There are no eggs or any other signs of critters on the chickens or their feathers. But that lice pic is interesting...the only one, other than the fleas, that looks like them.

 

[nurse_turtle]

Until we can ID these evildoers, Sevin dust works well to sprinkle in your coops and mix up in your pine shavings.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Just judging from the pics I would guess flea. It very well could be Ceratophyllus gallinae, or any one of a number of flea species that feed on birds. The larvae are consistent with flea larvae too. The pics of the eggs with the blood spots on them are also very telling. They are droppings from blood-sucking insects, which is what you would see where blood-eating insects are congregated. I would doubt that they are lice because of the presence of the larvae. A juvenile louse looks very much like a small version of an adult and not at all like a worm. You would also expect to find egg clusters on the feathers if they were lice.

 

[dretd]

Just judging from the pics I would guess flea. It very well could be Ceratophyllus gallinae, or any one of a number of flea species that feed on birds. The larvae are consistent with flea larvae too. The pics of the eggs with the blood spots on them are also very telling. They are droppings from blood-sucking insects, which is what you would see where blood-eating insects are congregated. I would doubt that they are lice because of the presence of the larvae. A juvenile louse looks very much like a small version of an adult and not at all like a worm. You would also expect to find egg clusters on the feathers if they were lice.

x2 The pests also appear to be laterally compressed (flattened side-to-side) which is consistent with fleas. Never seen bird flea species but everything about them says fleas. Other flea species' larvae are about 3 mm or so long--is that what these little guys measure?

 

[chickenreferee]

They look like some sort of flea to me. Ick. Hope you figure it out soon!!

 

[betty70]

Ok, so I had 2 people check out these bugs, in person. The first one thinks they are fleas, and the second one says they're definitely fleas. So is there a way to prevent this from happening again? Does DE help with fleas? I'd like to use the most natural methods as possible for prevention.

Thanks again everyone for all of your help! You are all truly amazing!