What kind of parasite is this?

[R.M.Qureshi]

Hi,

I am posting a picture of a Dark brahma feather.I noticed these small eggs on few feathers just above legs. Apparentlythere was no lice or mite in the feathers. I have never seen lice laying eggs in this pattern.
Please be so kind to share your experience.
No egg clusters found at the base of feathers




Back side of feather

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The pattern and size looks like a butterfly to me.
Other than that I have no clue.

 

[seminolewind]

The bug must be pretty organized, LOL

 

[R.M.Qureshi]

Can these be eggsof some sort of mite. who has laid eggs on feathers but resides in cracks of the coop ?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

IMO, the mite would normally lay eggs on the base of the feather by the skin.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Chicken mites and Northern fowl mites are insects and as such will always have 6 legs. Mites are capable of living off of the body of your chickens for a long time. Then they return to the bird from time to time to feed and breed and of course to lay their eggs. Of the two mite types I have named if you seldom or never see a mite during the day, but you find mite eggs on the feather vanes, what you are seeing is chicken mite eggs. Northern fowl mites stay on the bird pretty well 24-7 while the "chicken mite" species steals away at first light and hides in cracks or crevices, mostly in the wood of the coop, under boards, in nests, imbedded in the roost poles, or under wood litter, then like Count Dracula they come out after dark to suck the blood of your chickens. Enough chicken mites will kill a bird, especially a sitting hen. Northern fowl mites usually like to congregate around the vent area because this is were they go to have a drink.

All chicken lice that I am familiar with lay their eggs in bunches at the base of the feather shaft. Lice can not live more than a couple of days without a host bird. All lice are closely related to spiders and have 8 legs while the northern fowl mite and the chicken mite is closely related to the grasshopper and has 6 legs. All or most all of the chicken body lice gnaw or feed on the body, dandruff, or feathers of the bird but do not suck or eat their blood unless they have created an open wound in your chickens' skin.

The reason I think it is good to treat the interior wood portion of your coops, pens, roost, cages, and runs with used motor oil spiked with parathion is that it creates a barrier or death trap for chicken mites who live or noon off the bird by hiding in the wooden structure of the coop. They check into their snug little motel rooms in the morning, but they don't checkout at night, especially the species called "chicken" mites.

I hope that this helps.

 

[R.M.Qureshi]

Hi,

I am posting a picture of a Dark brahma feather.I noticed these small eggs on few feathers just above legs. Apparentlythere was no lice or mite in the feathers. I have never seen lice laying eggs in this pattern.
Please be so kind to share your experience.
No egg clusters found at the base of feathers




Back side of feather

Culpret found. Operation " KILL THEM ALL" under way

 

[tatertot]

What kind of bug is that?

 

[casportpony]

What kind of bug is that?

X2, that looks nasty!

-Kathy

 

[magpiesing]

What kind of bug are those, they are huge! I mean compared to a mite that I have seen.