Scaly Leg Mites - Need Best / Easiest / Quickest Solution - Scaley

[chicknmania]

I'm sure this is covered in this thread but I'm wading through it and not finding it.

Do you dunk their feet into the castor oil? I've read several posts that you slather it on. But how are you getting it on there? Squirting some into your hands and rubbing it on?

Just looking for the easiest way to do this. I have four hens but only one seems to be suffering. She actually nibbling on her feet and the scales are bleeding. Poor baby. I don't see how just one hen would have it and not the other. So it could be something else. But there seems no harm in treating her with this and hopefully the oil will sooth those scales that appear to itch something awful.

I got a soft basting brush and I use that. It gets the oil where it needs to be, and he seems to enjoy the feel of the brush on his feet. And I warm the oil by floating the bottle in some hot water for a few minutes. Four weeks and he just has a small spot left on the toes of his right foot that I don't like the look of, and he's still limping. Though not as much as he was. I don't think he's going to ever be completely sound, but I'm trying to continue with the oil in the hopes that it's helping the pain, too and maybe another week or two's rest will give him some more time to heal. His left leg is completely normal now and he can walk normally on that one. Just mentioning this because the mites can get bad quickly, and you don't necessarily notice, so it's so important to treat them. Valiant did lose part of a toe on his right foot some time ago, so obviously that contributes to his limp, but I don't think it should be that bad. Someone on here on another post said that she took her roo with a suspected case of SLM to her vet. The vet gave him a shot of Ivermectin, which he said would clear them right up. And it seemed to, she said. Cost her around $20.00.

Wish we could find a vet like that. There is such a thing as Ivermectin gel, though I haven't looked to see where you can get it or how much it would help a chicken.

 

[JeanR]

Messy oils and grease may cure the mites, but much cleaner and easier, is Campho-phenique from the Drug Store. Apply with an eyedropper, holding the bird's feet UP, and let the liquid drip under all scales, from toes to hocks. Smells clean and will do the job in one treatment, if a very mild infection--or once or twice a week for 2 or 3 weeks for a bad case--where even losing toes has become a chance.
Greasy applications may leave air under the scales and thus not snuff the mites. And everything sticks to it, dirty feet and feathers. Liquid Campho...flows right under the scales and is a quick KILL.

Scaley leg mites usually are not as easily spread as body mites or lice, but when you have a case, "painting" the roosts with CAmpho may be another good control. After a short time, there should be no new infections, but always check your birds for mites,lice, etc. from time to time, to control these parasites! Good luck

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Messy oils and grease may cure the mites, but much cleaner and easier, is Campho-phenique from the Drug Store. Apply with an eyedropper, holding the bird's feet UP, and let the liquid drip under all scales, from toes to hocks. Smells clean and will do the job in one treatment, if a very mild infection--or once or twice a week for 2 or 3 weeks for a bad case--where even losing toes has become a chance.
Greasy applications may leave air under the scales and thus not snuff the mites. And everything sticks to it, dirty feet and feathers. Liquid Campho...flows right under the scales and is a quick KILL.

Scaley leg mites usually are not as easily spread as body mites or lice, but when you have a case, "painting" the roosts with CAmpho may be another good control. After a short time, there should be no new infections, but always check your birds for mites,lice, etc. from time to time, to control these parasites! Good luck

Interesting- I have never bought Campho-phenique...will have to check it out at the store. I just googled it and it looks neat.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I got castor oil today and painted it on each of the hens feet. Three don't look so bad but the fourth, she's been nibbling at her feet and they look pretty irritated. So I soaked her in some warm water for about 15 minutes and lightly brushed them with a soft brush. I wanted to get some of the dead scales and Vaseline off her feet so I could make a clean start.

Now of course, there's dirt stuck all over her feet. I really hope this gives her some relief and quickly.

Should I do this every other day or is every third good enough?

 

[Beekissed]

I don't know if brushing on the oil will get it into all the crevices as good as simply massaging it inward and upward...especially if the scales are in pretty bad condition. I'd leave them alone for about a week and then recheck and maybe reapply then, with that massaging type motion. Then I'd leave it for a couple of weeks and let that castor oil do its job....depending on what you find in a couple of weeks, you may not have to reapply at all unless it's with your worst cases that are really boogered up. You'll start to see scales that look really pale and those are old, affected scales starting to lift up to make way for new scale growth. Just let them be and let them shed on their own...they may even form a funny looking ridge of these pale scales but in the end they will fall off and you'll see new, shiny scales underneath. Smooth and new.

 

[chicknmania]

I don't know if brushing on the oil will get it into all the crevices as good as simply massaging it inward and upward...especially if the scales are in pretty bad condition. I'd leave them alone for about a week and then recheck and maybe reapply then, with that massaging type motion. Then I'd leave it for a couple of weeks and let that castor oil do its job....depending on what you find in a couple of weeks, you may not have to reapply at all unless it's with your worst cases that are really boogered up. You'll start to see scales that look really pale and those are old, affected scales starting to lift up to make way for new scale growth. Just let them be and let them shed on their own...they may even form a funny looking ridge of these pale scales but in the end they will fall off and you'll see new, shiny scales underneath. Smooth and new.

In a bad case, using your method, how long do you think it takes before the condition goes away entirely? I make sure the brush goes under, between, and through the bad scales. His feet and legs are nice and soft so I'm sure the oil is being absorbed pretty well.

 

[Beekissed]

In a bad case, using your method, how long do you think it takes before the condition goes away entirely? I make sure the brush goes under, between, and through the bad scales. His feet and legs are nice and soft so I'm sure the oil is being absorbed pretty well.

I've had long standing cases but not what I consider a "bad" case, like the ones often visualized here where the foot looks like some kind of scaly, tumorous growth has happened and the flesh is red and bleeding. In my long standing, or re-occurring, case I saw raised, pale scales in a week after the first application of castor oil. I just watched and waited....don't know when those scales fell off exactly, but they made a ridge of old scale for awhile, then finally sloughed off and there was new, yellow and shiny scales beneath.

Here's a link to that episode I had, post #246..... https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...st-quickest-solution-scaley/240#post_11481348

With a really bad, bad case as mentioned before, I'd probably soak that bird in warm, soapy salt water once every couple weeks for a few minutes, scrub the legs with the soap to clean off dead scale, skin flakes, old mite debris, using a veggie brush, and then reapply the castor oil well into all places. As I saw a lot of the crust falling away, I'd just wait and watch to see what that castor oil can finish. New scale growth is definitely accelerated with the castor, as you will read in my post...it even accelerated the growth of my old guy's spurs.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I've had long standing cases but not what I consider a "bad" case, like the ones often visualized here where the foot looks like some kind of scaly, tumorous growth has happened and the flesh is red and bleeding. In my long standing, or re-occurring, case I saw raised, pale scales in a week after the first application of castor oil. I just watched and waited....don't know when those scales fell off exactly, but they made a ridge of old scale for awhile, then finally sloughed off and there was new, yellow and shiny scales beneath.

Here's a link to that episode I had, post #246..... https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...st-quickest-solution-scaley/240#post_11481348

With a really bad, bad case as mentioned before, I'd probably soak that bird in warm, soapy salt water once every couple weeks for a few minutes, scrub the legs with the soap to clean off dead scale, skin flakes, old mite debris, using a veggie brush, and then reapply the castor oil well into all places. As I saw a lot of the crust falling away, I'd just wait and watch to see what that castor oil can finish. New scale growth is definitely accelerated with the castor, as you will read in my post...it even accelerated the growth of my old guy's spurs.

I put some castor oil in a plastic tub and got a decent size brush that is quite absorbent. I can get quite a bit of oil on to it. And I brushed up against the scales, not with them. I feel like I got a good coating to get up under the scales.

I don't think I have an awful case, but I do see where some scales are lifted. Three don't seem bothered by it at all But the fourth, she was actively nibbling on her feet and causing them to bleed so it was obviously bugging her. So I brushed and brushed and brushed and she stood there and let me. I really feel good I got it up under there.

This morning, they all have black feet from dirt sticking to the oil. I think I'll go twice a week for two weeks and then re-evaluate. It was pretty harmless to do and the hens just stood there as long as I offered up the occasional raisin.

Maybe in two weeks I'll do the salt water soak, if only on the one hen suffering, and really get a good look at her to see what's up.

I also have a guy coming out in the next few weeks to re-do my roosts. I want to add a dropping board. So they will get brand new 2x4's and I'll make sure they are well sanded and rubbed w/ DE.

 

[sunflower4you]

I've had long standing cases but not what I consider a "bad" case, like the ones often visualized here where the foot looks like some kind of scaly, tumorous growth has happened and the flesh is red and bleeding. In my long standing, or re-occurring, case I saw raised, pale scales in a week after the first application of castor oil. I just watched and waited....don't know when those scales fell off exactly, but they made a ridge of old scale for awhile, then finally sloughed off and there was new, yellow and shiny scales beneath.

Here's a link to that episode I had, post #246..... https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...st-quickest-solution-scaley/240#post_11481348

With a really bad, bad case as mentioned before, I'd probably soak that bird in warm, soapy salt water once every couple weeks for a few minutes, scrub the legs with the soap to clean off dead scale, skin flakes, old mite debris, using a veggie brush, and then reapply the castor oil well into all places. As I saw a lot of the crust falling away, I'd just wait and watch to see what that castor oil can finish. New scale growth is definitely accelerated with the castor, as you will read in my post...it even accelerated the growth of my old guy's spurs.

Are you talking Epsom salt when you say warm, soapy salt water? I need to do this soak on 2 of my birds.

 

[Beekissed]

Are you talking Epsom salt when you say warm, soapy salt water? I need to do this soak on 2 of my birds.

Yes, you can use epsom salts as they will help soothe any angry looking skin but if you don't have any, plain ol' salt will help with the healing of skin too and it can also provide an irritant to mites.