Are red velvet mites bad for chickens?

[Mamatomany123]

We just had a huge storm last night. I went out to check the egg box and saw red bugs crawling all over the yard. I've attached a picture. They're about the size of half my pinky nail, so not tiny but smallish. From my research they're called red velvet mites but I cant find anything related to chickens. any ideas?

 

[swamphiker]

I think you've IDed this mite correctly as a red velvet mite (Family Trombidiidae). From what I can tell, these mites are not parasitic on vertebrates, most are predators and parasites of other invertebrates, not chickens or other larger animals.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombidiidae, https://www.cirrusimage.com/arachnid_velvet_mite/

 

[Mamatomany123]

I think you've IDed this mite correctly as a red velvet mite (Family Trombidiidae). From what I can tell, these mites are not parasitic on vertebrates, most are predators and parasites of other invertebrates, not chickens or other larger animals.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombidiidae, https://www.cirrusimage.com/arachnid_velvet_mite/

Thank you! They terrified me when I went outside. They're everywhere!