I have grain mites AGAIN?!?!?!?!

[Annalyse]

I have a thread on this already but that was in June. I treated everything and got new feed and now I noticed mites in the feed again!!!! I use lowes buckets, one bag of feed is split into each bucket. I have 2 buckets and thw first bucket of feed I checked everyday to make sure no mites and that bucket was fine. I just opened the second bucket and I SAW MITES. I know they hatch WINT him the feed but why does this keep happening. Last time we had the feed outside but this time we stored it in the house. I can’t keep buying new feed and wasting so much but I don’t want to give the chickens mites. Idk what to do, I checked there existing feed in the coop and it seems fine as it’s from the first bucket. I get my feed from Tractor supply and this is the second time.

 

[kerbotx]

Grain mites or black weevils? (It's usually weevils that I've encountered.) Always check the mill dates on the feed bag, the older the feed, the greater the possibility of bugs. You could try adding diatomaceous earth to each bucket before you pour the feed in. But if this is a recurring problem, I'd switch brands or feed stores.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

The Tractor Supply stores in my area have all had a major issue with grain mites for years. They've all been told that the feed is fine and it's just paper mites, but the bags are not paper anymore and, wow, they still have a persistent issue. Anyway, I ended up having to change feed stores because they would not address it and all of their feed was infested. I stop by the closest one every now and then for bedding and fencing, and they still had mites crawling all over their feed bags last time I was in there.

The mites are sometimes detectable before purchasing if the infestation is bad enough. Check the seams and in the folds at the end of the bag for them and don't buy bags that have any signs of them on the outside. If you keep having grain mite issues, I'd suggest you shop around for other places to purchase feed. I currently have to drive quite a lot further to get feed from Rural King instead of the short drive it would take to get feed from TSC, but it's worth it to me to get feed that isn't infested. I buy enough for a month at a time so that I don't have to make the trip as often at least.

 

[Annalyse]

Grain mites or black weevils? (It's usually weevils that I've encountered.) Always check the mill dates on the feed bag, the older the feed, the greater the possibility of bugs. You could try adding diatomaceous earth to each bucket before you pour the feed in. But if this is a recurring problem, I'd switch brands or feed stores.

What are black weevils? I’ve been noticing more looking bus like white, tan they near look like the dust from the feed. We didn’t check the date until after we bought the feed and we thought it’d be fine because I’d never think I’d have this problem a second time Right after. All feed bags are next to each other so idk if I trust other bags of feed if there next to each other I would think it’s easy for the mites to go from each bag ya know.

 

[Annalyse]

The Tractor Supply stores in my area have all had a major issue with grain mites for years. They've all been told that the feed is fine and it's just paper mites, but the bags are not paper anymore and, wow, they still have a persistent issue. Anyway, I ended up having to change feed stores because they would not address it and all of their feed was infested. I stop by the closest one every now and then for bedding and fencing, and they still had mites crawling all over their feed bags last time I was in there.

The mites are sometimes detectable before purchasing if the infestation is bad enough. Check the seams and in the folds at the end of the bag for them and don't buy bags that have any signs of them on the outside. If you keep having grain mite issues, I'd suggest you shop around for other places to purchase feed. I currently have to drive quite a lot further to get feed from Rural King instead of the short drive it would take to get feed from TSC, but it's worth it to me to get feed that isn't infested. I buy enough for a month at a time so that I don't have to make the trip as often at least.

Do I tell the store about the mites or just find a new store. Every time u get a bag it seems closed and no holes but the bags are usally covered in feed dust or feed from other bags. I think there’s a feed store near me that I could switch too. I get all flock I forget the brand but hopefully I can find something else that doesn’t have mites. Do you know a good spot to store the feed. We had it in the shed so should I just put it back into the shed since it has nothing to do with it being outside?

 

[Annalyse]

I just checked for feed stores and the only one that pops up is tractor supply. I can’t find any that’s either in this state or not hours away.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

You could ask the store about it and see what they say. Maybe the stores in your area will have a better response than the ones in my area. The ones around here just brushed it off and refused to address the issue.

Look closely at that dust on the outside of the bags for any movement. Or, you could swipe your finger across it and feel for them. If it's just dust it should be dry, but if there are grain mites present, you should feel almost a dampness from smooshing them. I'd bet that there are mites on the outside of the bags if they seem dusty, though. The mites are small enough to crawl out through the seams so there doesn't necessarily have to be a hole in the bag for them to get out.

I have a little plastic shed that I store my feed in outside, in clean metal trash cans. If your shed was working fine for you before, I'd say it's fine now since you've confirmed that the mites aren't coming from it.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I just checked for feed stores and the only one that pops up is tractor supply. I can’t find any that’s either in this state or not hours away.

Ah, man, that's tough. Talk to someone at your TSC, then. Hopefully they'll want to address the issue and fix it.

 

[Annalyse]

Ah, man, that's tough. Talk to someone at your TSC, then. Hopefully they'll want to address the issue and fix it.

I’m hoping. I can’t be the only customer having this problem. I know I have neinhirs down the road who have chickens as well, I might talk to them and see if they are having the same issues.

 

[Annalyse]

Update: I’m going to go out and buy a small bag of feed those are in the plastic bags so no seams for them to get into like the feed bags. Until I can find a different feed store. But someone told me that this happens to there pig feed and they just let them still eat it. They said it happens during the summer seasons. Should I just let the chickens eat it? I know their harmless but would it being chicken mites later on? The chickens spill their feed in the coop so they’ll be all over . What do you think?