A scaley leg mite disaster

[High Roost Ranch]

I loaned a serama cock bird out to someone last year to use, and return when he no longer needed or wanted him. But instead of returning him when he was done, he tossed him into a cull pen and apparently forgot about this poor bird. He was returned to me last week in the condition shown in the video. I have never, ever seen scaley leg mite to this crippling degree. This poor bird cannot walk, can barely stand and I suspect he'll loose several toes over this. WHY when it is such a simple method to cure do people let it get to this degree??? This angers me beyond belief, and I have learned a hard lesson to not borrow out birds to others because no one takes care of our birds the way we do. The gap in the right leg was were his band was. It was loose on his leg when I sent him off, so that will give you an idea of how much he is infected with leg mites.

Scaley Leg Mite crippled Serama

One week later after aggressive treatment his legs are half the size they are in the video. He can now stand and walk with some ease, although he is still very unstable on his feet. I cannot imagine how painful this must be for him. If he overcomes this and has any toes left to stand on, he'll remain here for the rest of his life.

Check your birds legs folks! Raised scales are a precursor to scaley leg mite. Vasoline, VetRX, WD-40, are all things to treat it with.

 

[PeepsInc]

That is a sad thing to let happen to an animal. I just bought a frizzle roo for $2 becouse I felt bad for it. He had the same problem. He's doing well now. I wish your roo the best of luck.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

I am soo sorry for your boy.... I would be charging the *fool* that allowed this to happen for the medical costs to get him back to health.

I am unsure if he will ever be fully recovered.


Your doing your best for him. I hope that everything works out for you....

 

[High Roost Ranch]

You're right, he may not recover, or if he does, he may not be fully mobile. As far as charging him, nothing would come of that I'm sure. I'm just happy to get him home where at least I can attempt to save him. My daughter bawled when I took him out of the box because it was originally her bird and then she got mad at me for allowing this to happen to him. Such a simple and INEXPENSIVE fix/remedy that I'm just dumbfounded that it got to this point. I'll tell you one thing though and that is if I had a bird on loan from someone, I sure as heck wouldn't toss it aside to forget about it and let it get to this point of neglect. Sadly, the offender is a respected member of a community that I'm no longer associated with at this time. Not a newbie to poultry. He wanted to put him down and I said no, just get him back to me. I can only imagine the condition of the other birds in that cull pen because as most of us know, scaley leg mite is contagious. Each day brings an ever so slight improvement. He's still very pale in the face and comb, no doubt with the condition he's in.

I posted this for people to realize that if you don't treat scaley leg mite in the beginning, that it turns into this. It's not something that can be ignored. Chickens are not supposed to have raised scales on their shanks, feet or toes. That's how this starts, the bird becomes infested and the scales raise up as debris builds beneath. It's simply treated by coating the entire shank, feet and toes with petroleum jelly. That smothers them and cures the infestation.

 

[Bridget399]

You and your poor daughter! I've never seen scaly leg mite that bad! Poor little guy...

Hope he recovers to live a normal life.

 

[zowieyellowflame]

I just treated 2 hens for the second time, tonight, with vasoline. The advantages are all around..... treat mites, moisturize my own hands! My knuckles are no longer cracked or bleeding!

 

[High Roost Ranch]

Here's an updated video of him taken the other day that's on my Utube. He's improving but I had to remove a necrotic middle toe and his spurs because the mites were up underneath the spur itself, causing the spur to come out of the leg at an odd angle. He's a long ways from being healed but he's far improved from what he was when he came home.

 

[PunkinPeep]

wow. that's unreal. i don't think i would've even realized that was from the scaley leg mites. poor baby.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Oh dear god! How could anyone overlook that! Poor little guy

I bet he feels so greatful to be back in your care. It makes me ill to hear and see how some neglect their animals in such a way even if it is a "cull pen" There is so much hope for this little guy and he looks like he is responding well to the treatment. I rescued a little japanese hen I saw at a local swap with the very same condition. She has been with me for 3 years now and is doing very well despite having lost all but one toe on each foot. She gets to stay in the house because the other chickens seem to pick on her and she is arthritic and can't take the cold temps on her feet. I wish you and your rooster the best of luck

 

[Galaxiedriver]

It should be an unwritten rule to never loan birds out to anyone. You never know what they may come back with.

The person that allowed that to happen should be turned in for cruelty to animals.

Those are the kinds of things that make animal rights groups pressure the government to burden us with more rules and laws.