WTF are these bugs?!

[tickens33]

We are seeing these little bugs all over the outside of the coop and run, particularly on anything made of metal and plastic— like the solar lights on the outside of the coop, nest box latches, buckets, etc….we have not found any inside the coop except for on the door hardware, and nothing on any of the birds after a thorough check— no eggs, bites or anything. We first noticed them only on the waterer about 10 days ago and all of a sudden they’re all over the outside.

What could they be? Are they harmful to the birds? It almost seems like they are eating the birds’ dust that accumulates on surfaces like the top of the waterer. We have been trying deep bedding and the coop is due for its first big clean out this weekend. I was already planning to dust with DE but maybe now permethrin as well? They look like spider mites based on our gardening experience but we have no idea what they’d be eating if that was the case.

On hardware

On bucket lid

So many of them on the wood outside they’re raining onto the ground but none visible on the wood inside the coop

Close ups of bucket lid

 

[CoopBoots]

Following. Can you count their legs if you look super close?? I can't make it out in the pictures...

 

[tickens33]

Following. Can you count their legs if you look super close?? I can't make it out in the pictures...

We’re trying to get a better picture but it seems like they’re too small to see. Like smaller than a grain of sand. This is the best we could get

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

Look like grain mites. We'd get them when humidity spikes in our mealworm containers

 

[CoopBoots]

Look like grain mites. We'd get them when humidity spikes in our mealworm containers

This post seems to agree with you:

https://www.reddit.com/r/insects/comments/1euhxy1/what_are_these_insects_all_over_my_balcony_and

It mentions explosive but short lived growth under the right conditions. Obviously I'd be worried about the chickens but as you see so many NOT ON your birds, I'd just start checking them as a precaution and probably smash or spray whatever I found elsewhere... I think a chicken mite would stay mostly on the chicken.

 

[tickens33]

Thank you guys for such quick responses. I don’t think I’ll have the chance to deal with them in any meaningful way until this weekend when we’re planning the full coop clean-out. I already wasn’t looking forward to it but now I’m especially not

 

[Stravager]

Thank you guys for such quick responses. I don’t think I’ll have the chance to deal with them in any meaningful way until this weekend when we’re planning the full coop clean-out. I already wasn’t looking forward to it but now I’m especially not

If they are grain mites Diatomaceous Earth seems to work pretty well at smothering them. Just make sure to wear a mask and gloves and eye protection when dusting with DE.

 

[tickens33]

If they are grain mites Diatomaceous Earth seems to work pretty well at smothering them. Just make sure to wear a mask and gloves and eye protection when dusting with DE.

Does anyone have thoughts on if we ought to do permethrin as well? My partner thinks it may be overkill, I’m thinking that this instance is a good wake-up-call that my prior DE use hasn’t been enough, and that there’s possibility of mites proliferating that could harm the birds. (he says the DE did its job since we can’t find any in the coop )

 

[nuthatched]

Get some permethrine dust, de won't help.

 

[Kiki]

If there were in your bag of feed then DE could help in the bag of feed if it was in a dry place.

I'd permethrin the crap out of everything you see them on daily until they are gone if I were you.
Get this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/martins-horse-stable-permethrin-spray.11854/