Help my hen's toes are falling off!!!

elizabethq

Hatching
9 Years
Apr 12, 2010
2
0
7
Ortonville
:(My hen became lame and after calling around to everywhere I could think of and searching the internet, I determined it was scaley mites (her scales were lifting on the lame leg). I couldn't find a vet in my area who would see a chicken. I treated her for mites with flea and tick spray on the leg ( I didn't want to use the powder) only 1 1/2 times because I didn't like the idea of it and vaseline for about a week. Instead of getting better it got worse. The toes started to get black and now they are falling off. I know it sounds like frost bite but it had warmed up above freezing already when this happened. The worse thing is now my rooster is limping. There is nothing visibly wrong with his leg. Someone PLEASE HELP. I have been on the phone all day and nobody has any answers.
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Report | Edit | Quote#2 Yesterday 10:17 pm
 
I recommend Vet RX or Blue Ribbon RX, they are both good for scaly leg mites. We order the Blue Ribbon from McMurray. We use to have problems with them on our Japanese bantams, which we no longer have. Not sure what to tell you about the toes falling off though.
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An advanced case of scaly leg mites will cause toes to die and fall off. It is not necessary to repeatedly use a bug killer, applying mineral oil or vaseline will do the trick. It just needs to be watched and replied as needed. The first application will smother living mites, repeated applications will help prevent eggs from hatching or kill off newly hatched mites.
 
Is it possible that your hen (and roo) stepped in something toxic/caustic? Limping and scales lifting could be a sign of inflammation...and toes falling off is definitely something is compromising the healthy skin. The reason I suggest they stepped in something is the location of the necrosis. If it were something they ingested, I'd expect the wingtips to be damaged, too.
 
Scaley leg mite infestation can be deep in the leg/skin tissues. In severe cases, it can cause toes to fall off. In severe cases, you would need to repeat the treatment, and it would probably be a good idea to use some sort of pestcide. What I have done for scaley leg mite is to soak the chickens feet and legs in warm water and epsom salts. Do not let the chicken drink the water. Soak at least 15 minutes to soften the skin. (20-30 minutes is better, but if you have a lot of chickens to do 15 is adaquate) Make sure to treat every chicken, even those without external symptoms of scaley leg mite. You can gently scrub the chickens legs with a soft brush, but not too much! Very gently!!!! Then, mix vasaline with a good amount of poultry sust or sevin dust. Put on rubber/surgical gloves, and rub the mixture thouroughly into the chickens legs. Work it under all the riased scales, toenail beds, in between. You really need to get it in there. You should repeat this weekly in severely infested chickens until you are certain they have no mites. I also routinely spray my chicken house and roosts with a flea/tick/yard spray that you attach to a hose every month or so. When you do it, get every crevice. If you can't spray the whole house, spray the roosts.

Also, please post pictures of the chickens feet so people with experience can verify if it is indeed scaley leg mite your chickens have.
 
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Hi. Did you ever find out what this was? I have a chicken with the exact same thing. People have suggested scaly leg mites or frost bite, but that's not it! Hope you get this, as I see the post is very old. Thanks!
 

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