Scaley leg mites

[The Silver Dog]

I took in a chicken that looked healthy but apparently wasn’t. This chicken has infected my flock of ten chickens now, with scaley leg mites the ones that are left do not have it too bad but enough that’s some scales are lifting.
What did you do to treat?
How long did you treat for?
Did it eventually go away?

I took the culprit to the vet and he said that was the worst case he’s ever seen and suggesting culling (she was taken by an owl) he said to soak their legs in vegetable oil. But said it could take years!!!!
I have silkies so their legs are all hairy. What’s the best way to go about this.
Also they have lice from the chicken as well… help me please

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles.

Scaly Leg Mites can be treating by apply an oil or ointment to help smother the mites. See the article below for more details.

If they also have lice on the body, then you'll want to treat your flock and housing with a Permethrin based poultry dust or spray. I like spray to use in the housing since it's easier to apply. I dust my birds by placing the dust in a sock, then use it like a powder puff to dust them around the vent, under the wings and back, neck, etc. working the dust through the feathers down to the skin.

If you have photos of your flock and their legs, those are always welcome.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/treating-scaly-leg-mites-slm-what-you-need-to-know.77376/

 

[DLA]

Straight neem oil should work. You can spray it around on the roosts and areas they frequent and you put it on the chickens legs too. That should kill the scaly leg mites pretty quickly. You might have to make several applications till it gets them all. I'd let it dry before you let them back on the roosts. It can be slippery so you don't want them trying to jump up when it's wet.
I use a spray I made myself with 1 cup water, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons neem oil, a few cloves of crushed up garlic, a little eucalyptus oil in a spray bottle. Shake it really good before spraying. It really stinks but it not only works around the chickens to kill mites and lice, it also works great on people to keep ticks off of you. I spray it on my hat and clothes when I'm outside working since we have quite a lot of ticks around. Haven't had one tick on me since I started using it. I spray it in the coop on the roosts and nesting boxes when I clean too as a preventative.