Leg Mites & Conflicting Treatments

[Lennea10]

I have some conflicting information on treating scaly leg mites in chickens. After consulting a vet, the most effective way to treat is to use the Ivermectin 1% injectable solution as a topical, dosed by weight and applied in a series of 3, every 2 weeks. My concern is the egg withdrawal time is 8 weeks according to FARAD. I cannot find any other documented evidence from a reliable source.

Some suggest Sevin dust but carbaryl powder is not approved in chickens and is not recommended. The only other option I am left with is Prozap power with permethrin and applying Vaseline to the legs to help suffocate them.

I am worried that the powder will not be as effective and want relief for my babies as soon as possible. I am also worried about the cold temperatures and treating effectively. Does anyone have documentation on egg withdrawal time that contradicts FARAD?

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

So sorry you're having difficulty finding a doable solution.
Maybe @casportpony can offer some advice!

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC!

Like you I want to get rid of the mites sooner rather than later, so I use ivermectin. I also soak their legs in warm water for about an hour to loosen up the scale debris, then I scrub their legs clean. I soak their legs by filling the bathtub with enough warm water to cover the afected parts of their legs, turn lights off, place in water, and wait ~ an hour.

As for the alleged withdrawal time from FARAD, I have not seen any documentation from FARAD that it's eight weeks. Would your vet be willing to submit a withdrawal request to FARAD? In the meantime you could google "egg residues ivermectin", or something similar, and try to find some studies that show what actual times are.

 

[azygous]

Recently I read about gasoline and kerosene leg dipping as a leg mite cure. (No, it does not involved lighting the legs on fire.) This treatment actually kills the mites and eggs whereas castor oil and Vaseline merely smother the mites.

I'm not recommending gasoline as a treatment, although feel free to give it a try if it doesn't totally turn you off. What I do recommend to kill the mites with a residual to keep away the mites is spinosad. I use Elector PSP and mix a leg dip. I have had superb results. No egg withdrawal.

 

[BorealBee]

Recently I read about gasoline and kerosene leg dipping as a leg mite cure. (No, it does not involved lighting the legs on fire.) This treatment actually kills the mites and eggs whereas castor oil and Vaseline merely smother the mites.

I'm not recommending gasoline as a treatment, although feel free to give it a try if it doesn't totally turn you off. What I do recommend to kill the mites with a residual to keep away the mites is spinosad. I use Elector PSP and mix a leg dip. I have had superb results. No egg withdrawal.

How many dip treatments with Elector PSP does it take to be effective for you? I just discovered an early infestation, and while I'm debating the gasoline thing to eradicate them quickly, I'd much rather use spinosad if it works just as well. I planned on buying some anyway, I've been battling lice for a while with pyrethrin and it's just not doing the trick!

 

[dawg53]

The Chicken Chick states a 3 day treatment of gasoline and A & D ointment.
Since scaly leg mites feed on tissue, I'd use it the next time if my birds became infected. I've used Nu-Stock in the past with success, and the roost must be treated also.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/scaly-leg-mites-in-chickens/

 

[azygous]

I like spinosad for the safety, but also for the quick, easy results. I've always had immediate results with only one treatment. The last time I treated for lice with Elector was two years ago, and the lice haven't recurred.

When I use it for scaly leg mites, I also only treat once, and the chicken feels immediate relief. How do I know? Leg mites are very uncomfortable and even painful. The chicken will shake their legs and peck at their feet. After treatment, they quit doing that.

To treat for leg mites, I mix up a warm soak with a half teaspoon of Elector and soak the legs and feet for ten minutes and don't rinse and let the legs air dry.

 

[BorealBee]

I like spinosad for the safety, but also for the quick, easy results. I've always had immediate results with only one treatment. The last time I treated for lice with Elector was two years ago, and the lice haven't recurred.

When I use it for scaly leg mites, I also only treat once, and the chicken feels immediate relief. How do I know? Leg mites are very uncomfortable and even painful. The chicken will shake their legs and peck at their feet. After treatment, they quit doing that.

To treat for leg mites, I mix up a warm soak with a half teaspoon of Elector and soak the legs and feet for ten minutes and don't rinse and let the legs air dry.

It's going to be quite an undertaking, 10 minutes each for 24 birds, but totally worth it for those kinds of results. Maybe I can bribe some folks with eggs to give me a hand

Thanks so much!

 

[5kids]

I have just realized that my rooster and one of my hens have scaly legs, i believe it is a start of mites. I do use DE in my coop every cleaning and it's cleaned out a couple times a week. I read that you can spray head lice treatment on their legs and it will kill the mites...any advice?

 

[azygous]

DE isn't doing anything. It certainly won't get rid of parasites.

The best treatment for scaly leg mites is coating the legs and feet with a heavy oil like castor oil or Vaseline to smother the mites. Another treatment in a week to ten days will get rid of any mites that have hatched since the first treatment.