Growths on my chicken's feet HELP!!!!!

sharla · Feb 29, 2012

Well, here is an update on my scaly lice problem. I bought some Adam's flea and tick spray and used it, 4 days later the worst of the problem was much better and now WOW I am impressed. I just bought some Ivomac from the vet, it has to be the type that is ok to give orally. I started it today and will repeat it in 2 weeks.
Thanks everyone for the great information.

RhodeIslandRedFan · Feb 29, 2012

sharla said:
Well, here is an update on my scaly lice problem. I bought some Adam's flea and tick spray and used it, 4 days later the worst of the problem was much better and now WOW I am impressed. I just bought some Ivomac from the vet, it has to be the type that is ok to give orally. I started it today and will repeat it in 2 weeks.
Thanks everyone for the great information.

YAY! Thanks for the update - nice to hear good news

Glenda Heywoodo · Apr 17, 2017

sharla said:
. How do they get these mites? Is it because of the manure in the chicken house? I have a cousin that has chickens and she told me not to clean their chicken house out in the winter because the manure would keep them warm. Sooooo, now I think that's probably not a good idea and the cause of the mites. I feel really bad about this if its true. Think I will get out there and clean, clean, clean and then put vaseline on really thick. Poor girls, have a bad mama.

You asked what causes or how do chickens get scaley Leg Mites
This article is very informative. It s from BYC

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/mites-chicken-pests-how-to-protect-your-chickens-from-mites
Mites - Chicken Pests - How To Protect Your Chickens From Mites

Mites

One of the most common problems encountered when raising and keeping poultry is mites. They can be introduced by wild birds or visiting rodents, or get picked up when your birds get into contact with other, infested, birds at places such as poultry shows, sales or auctions. There are several kinds of mites that will infest your birds. Infestations can cause a reduction in egg laying, pale combs and wattles, anaemia and in extreme cases, or with very young birds, death. Infestations also cause feather loss, usually on the back, because the chicken will usually over preen and pull out her feathers in an effort to get relief. Sometimes the chicken's skin will be irritated and red.

Northern Fowl mites and Chicken mites (Red Roost mite) are the most common. Red mites tend to be nocturnal and will suck blood from the chicken while it sleeps, then hide in cracks and crevices in the coop during the day. They are very small, and initially yellow/grey in colour, but will darken as they feed. Removing the chicken mite is most effectively directed at the coop than the birds themselves. Northern fowl mites are the most aggressive. They live on the bird itself and will feed round the clock. If you examine the bird you will see very small red/brown insects and discolouration of the feathers due to the eggs and waste of the mite. Controlling this mite requires that the treatment be directed at the bird. Both of these forms of mites suck blood. If left untreated, this results in weakening, loss of appetite, emaciation, lowered egg production, lethargy and eventually death. The Scaly Leg Mite is a concern as well. This creature will manifest on the scales of the legs and feet. What you'll see is the lifting of the scales, and separation from the skin of the leg underneath. The legs and feet may become swollen, tender and have a discharge or exudate forming under the scales.

Lice

Like mites, poultry lice are ectoparasites that infest the skins and feathers of birds. Lice are tiny, wingless insects ranging from 1/25 of an inch to 1/4 inch long and are normally either straw coloured or yellow-brown. There are a number of different species of lice and one bird may host up to 15 different species at the same time. Each region will have variations in which strain is the most predominate and in general lice populations tend to peak on poultry farms during the autumn and winter months. Lice are generally host specific and and spend their entire life on one host. Bird or chicken lice won't infect humans or other animals, but are highly contagious between birds. If one of your birds have lice, chances are the rest of the flock will be infested as well.

Lice lay their eggs deep in the feather shafts of their hosts where they are inaccessible to their preening. They have chewing mouth parts, which differs from the sucking mouth parts of a mite. You can see a louse as it moves on the skin by parting the feathers, especially at the head, under the wings and around the vent. Lice do not suck blood. They feed on dry skin scales and feathers. They cause irritation by the act of movement on the skin of the bird and the action of the mouth. This, while not as direct a loss to the bird, will cause appetite loss and the resulting weakness, lowered egg production and susceptibility to illness.

Treatment

Treatment for all of the above pests must be undertaken to prevent loss. There are many different products and treatments on the market that have been effective for this. Products such as Sevin dust have been used effectively on both coops and directly on the birds. This is a Carbaryl based insecticide that will directly kill the existing mites. Re-treatment is usually necessary due to the eggs that will hatch and reinfest the birds and coop. Orange Guard is effective organic non-toxic treatment for the coop itself, but cannot be used directly on the birds. All will respond to pour-on medications, such as Eprinex. Though there are some more natural treatments available, with a heavy infection chemicals have proved to be the most effective. In addition to the above scaly leg mites can be treated with a direct contact treatment. Petrolatum jelly, vegetable, mineral, linseed oil are effective when directly applied to the legs and repeated every two days till scales are smooth again. Adding 1 part kerosene to two parts oil has been noted to be effective as well.

Prevention

Preventing a mite and louse infestation is difficult. Early detection remains the best way to control these pests. Keep the coops and bedding clean and fresh, periodically scrub the coop and nesting boxes with soap and water, dust the coop, bedding and your flock as a preventative measure now and then and regularly inspect your flock to catch the problem before harm is done to the chickens.

Reference credit and thanks to :
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Kansas State University
Graphic at top: North Carolina Pest Management Information

Learn how to protect your flock from Chicken Pests

Glenda Heywoodo · Apr 17, 2017

3 Ways to Get Rid of Chicken Mites Fast and Stop Their Return
https://morningchores.com/chicken-mites/

Are you new to chicken keeping?
Have you figured out that there is a little more to it than what you might have originally thought?
When I first began raising chickens, I thought we’d build a small coop and raise a few hens. Then we’d collect our eggs each morning while feeding our feathered friends and that would be it.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Chickens are super simple animals to raise, but there is a little more to it than that.
For instance, you must battle mites in the coop. If you are unfamiliar with mites or are looking for a solid defense against them, then you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to share with you the two types of mites you may have to battle in your coop and a few ways I’ve found effective to do so.
Here is how you declare war upon mites in your coop:

What Are Chicken Mites and What Do They Do to My Birds?

Mites are tiny little parasites that love your chickens. You’ll notice them a lot during warm and wet weather, but they can also thrive in colder temperatures as well. (Though it is less common.)
However, you’ll know you have a mite issue if your hens begin to lose their feathers, or if you begin to see them biting under their wings or around their vents.
Basically, they remind me a lot of the way any animal looks if they have a parasite (such as a flea) living on them. You can tell that they are just uncomfortable.
However, mites actually make me angry. I don’t like them because they are vicious little things that genuinely hurt your chickens. They bite and chew on your birds while also sucking their blood.
Obviously, this causes pain to your chickens. Even worse news is that mites can be brought into your coop through wild birds, rodents, or even on your shoes or clothing.
Also, though mites only live about a week, they are able to lay around 100,000 eggs during that time period.
But don’t get too depressed thinking that your chickens don’t stand a chance because there are ways to combat mites.
However, I will share a little tidbit with you that has made me so angry with mites. Mites do cause pain to your chickens, but they also can make them anemic, cause them to lose their feathers, and even kill them.

So when I was new to keeping chickens I hadn’t learned about parasites yet. I didn’t know to treat for them, but my first summer one of my birds became really ill. She began to lose feathers and was very lethargic. I was worried about her but couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her.
Finally, I came out to our coop one day, and she was almost dead lying on the coop floor. We knew we couldn’t save her so my husband put her down. That is when I saw it. She was literally covered in mites, and they had made her so anemic and weak that it killed her.
Naturally, I learned a very hard lesson that day. I also learned how to stop mites, and believe me when I tell you I went to town in our coop with DE. I haven’t had a mite problem since.
So these parasites are more than just a pain to your chickens. If not treated properly they could actually cost them their lives.

How to Combat Chicken Mites in Your Coop

via Diatomaceous Earth.com
So now that you know what you are up against, let’s talk about how you can exterminate them.
First of all, chickens can actually combat these pests on their own. When the weather is dry, and they have dust that they can bathe in, it helps them to combat mites. The dusting smothers these bugs out.

So when you see your birds out in the yard rolling in the dust and stretched out in the sun, know that they aren’t just being funny and adorable. They are also taking care of bug issues or preventing them from getting started.
However, if the weather has been wet or you’ve seen obvious signs of mite activity in your flock, you’ll need to help your flock out by taking action yourself. You can do this by spraying a concoction in your coop. It is 2 cups of water with 1 cup of cooking oil.
Then you’ll need to add 1 tablespoon of dish soap. (Recipe from Fresh Eggs Daily) Be sure to shake the mixture up as oil and water like to separate. This will help to smother out any mites that are taking up residence in your coop.
Also, be sure that you spray this mixture in your coop around twice a week while you are treating your chickens simultaneously.
However, another method of ridding your coop of mites is to sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth on everything. You can do this as a preventative measure or as a treatment. When the dust hits these parasites it literally slices them in half.
But you’ll need to do this regularly and possibly multiple times a week while you know your coop is overrun because you’ll need to try to kill the parasites that have hatched recently.
This is actually the method I use. I sprinkle DE on the ground in the coop, on the roosting bars, inside the nesting boxes, and I’ll shake some on my birds as well. Do this until you see that your hens are more comfortable.
Then you’ll need to be sure to keep DE sprinkled
throughout the coop regularly. I actually make it part of my weekly cleaning schedule in an effort to avoid infestations.

chrissiemids · Apr 5, 2018

I have been having the same problem so I've treated with Scaly leg mite spray foam pet shop. Seems to be doing the trick . The white lumps have began falling off. Do not be tempted to pull them off. My hen stopped laying and became quite poorly. Think all the wet weather hasn't helped.

Growths on my chicken's feet HELP!!!!!

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