Silkies-scaly leg mites?

[citymeetscountry]

1st 3 pics are 1 bird, last 2 pics are a second bird. Both males. 5 month old. They share living quarters but free range during the day with 6 hens/pullets. The girls seem unaffected. A friend with silkies said that’s just how her silkies feet look. So scaly leg mites? Or just normal silkie legs:feet?

Currently soaking their legs just in case.

 

[Debbie292d]

No, that's not normal. Chicken legs should be smooth. Those scales look raised but not as bad as mine have gotten a time or two. Silkies are prone to scaly leg mites but it appears you're catching it early.

When I just had a couple, we'd go in the coop at night and slather their feet with vaseline every other night three times.

Now we have 14 adults and that's too much work and mess so we've been using one drop of Ivermectin pour on, on their backs, then repeated in 10 days and that works.

 

[citymeetscountry]

No, that's not normal. Chicken legs should be smooth. Those scales look raised but not as bad as mine have gotten a time or two. Silkies are prone to scaly leg mites but it appears you're catching it early.

When I just had a couple, we'd go in the coop at night and slather their feet with vaseline every other night three times.

Now we have 14 adults and that's too much work and mess so we've been using one drop of Ivermectin pour on, on their backs, then repeated in 10 days and that works.

Thanks! I wasn’t sure where to w Vaseline was so I put some olive oil on it. But I found the Vaseline and I’m deep cleaning the tractor coop now. I will continue with the Vaseline. Should I soak their legs again? Do I need to worry about treating the girl?

 

[Debbie292d]

Thanks! I wasn’t sure where to w Vaseline was so I put some olive oil on it. But I found the Vaseline and I’m deep cleaning the tractor coop now. I will continue with the Vaseline. Should I soak their legs again? Do I need to worry about treating the girl?

I would treat them all whether they look scaly or not as there could be a couple mites just starting on those. It's pretty likely if they are on one, they are on them all.

What were you soaking their legs in? We never did, we just slathered the vaseline all around their toes, feet, and up the leg a ways. We did it at night so it could work while they slept.

 

[citymeetscountry]

Thanks! I used olive oil after soaking since that’s what I had. Ive since found the Vaseline and will switch. Do u need to treat the girls that appear unaffected and live in a different coop? Or just the boys? Should I continue to soak after today or just use the Vaseline? I’m deep cleaning their tractor/coop now.

 

[Penpal]

Treat them as instructed. But, try putting garlic powder or granules in their feed. It won't kill the mites, but it will keep them off the birds.

 

[citymeetscountry]

I would treat them all whether they look scaly or not as there could be a couple mites just starting on those. It's pretty likely if they are on one, they are on them all.

What were you soaking their legs in? We never did, we just slathered the vaseline all around their toes, feet, and up the leg a ways. We did it at night so it could work while they slept.

Sorry for the weird double post before. Warm water with some dish soap in it.

So even though they live in different coops they’re likely all infected?

 

[Debbie292d]

Sorry for the weird double post before. Warm water with some dish soap in it.

So even though they live in different coops they’re likely all infected?

Oh gotcha. Different coops might mean one coop has them and the other does not. As long as their feet look fine in the other coop, then I'd not bother. Vaseline won't hurt them and would moisturize at the least in case they didn't have them.