Pictures of leg mites

Anyone have pictures of what leg mites look like?

Quote:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/2_scaly-leg-mites-chicken.jpg

wow, looks like my grandma's toes!

I know this has probably been answered 1000 times on BYC by now, but what's the prevention and treatment??

First, soak the bird's legs in a solution of warm water with some epsom salts in it to soften the scales. Mites are actually burrowed into the skin of the leg and are causing irritation and build up of stuff which is raising the scales and irritating the skin. The soaking softens up the stuff. You then use a toothbrush to scrub at the legs to remove whatever build up you can. Pat the legs dry.

Then you can either use ivomec 1% injectable topically on the legs, or you can use pour-on ivermectin 5% cattle wormer on the bird - IF - your birds have been wormed within 6 months with a broad spectrum wormer.

Personally, I'd recommend the scrub, worm your flock with wazine 17 (piperazine 17) in the water, and use olive oil on the legs or VetRx daily for 2 weeks then worm them with the pour-on ivermectin (generic, 250ml bottles are the most affordable option). Worming all the flock with ivermectin will kill external parasites as it's likely other birds in the flock have mites but not signs of it yet on the legs. But you have more than one option there.

Rub Vicks Vapor Rub on the legs ever so often. That will keep them free of this problem. Some people spray their legs with WD 40. Others say not to because it is a petroleum product. They use vaseline instead. I wonder what they think vaseline is made from?

Rufus

These mites move slowly from bird to bird so controlling them is fairly easy. Here's some old school ideas... Leg mites can be controlled by brushing perches and legs once a month with one part kerosene and two parts linseed oil. Another method is rubbing them with petroleum jelly or a kerosene/oil mixture. The best cure however, is Ivomec. Use caution using it on meat or egg birds though! Good luck!

Quote:
And don't EVER let your chickens smoke.

So after treatment, if some scales fall off, do they grow back?

skin grows back, even on dinosaurs