Another Scaly Leg mite question

[badgarden]

I think I have ruled out maerks disease since my hen only has a short list of the problems. Someone mentioned to me possible scaly leg mites.

Both toes are curled up and she walks on her "knuckles" while flapping her wings to move from point to point. She's a 6 month Black Sex Link.
I googled pictures of Scaly leg mites and came across a photo of a hen whose head was attacked. My 3 y/o Australope looked just like the photo. She stopped laying eggs when the new hens were introduced as pullets and is only interested in wandering the yard and keeping an eye out for hawks.

I'll post photos as soon as I figure this out.

Thanks for your help.

 

[kathyinmo]

Please give us the following information. The more you tell us, the better we will be able to help you.

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
8 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
9) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
10) Describe the housing, size and number of birds in it. Run size?
11) Kind of bedding in use?
12) Have you wormed your bird?
13) Have you checked for mites and lice?
14) Lift the bird, does it feel heavy or light?

 

[badgarden]

Here are the answers to your questions.

1) Black Sex Link about 6 months. Have no idea on weight.

2) Behavior: Started limping about 4 weeks ago. 3 days later unable to go 3 feet without falling down. About 6 days ago, her right foot was completely curled under. 3 days later her left foot curled. She hobbles on her knuckles.

3) No.

4)I have no idea what happened. My husband discovered her. Our 4 hens used to roam the neighborhood before one of the neighbors complained and we then fenced them in.

5) She eats and drinks. The chicken purchaser at our feed store thought she may have pulled a muscle from laying very large eggs, so she suggested to stop feeding her layer rationings. At her suggestion I combined chopped fresh vegetables with a vitamin/Electrolyte mixture, oyster shells and cracked corn. I was also putting the vitamin mix in her drinking water. I have since located a WSU extension chicken expert locally and she advised to put her back on the layer rations and mix the vitamins with that instead of her water.

6) The poop has varied from florescent green to dark brown, runny to thick. Thinking about what she has been eating, her poop reflected that. So, it has been healthy.

7) See Q5. I have checked to see if she has any eggs stuck in her ovum. There is nothing there. I couldn't feel anything from the outside or by doing a finger check.

8) The University's chicken expert seems to think that it is either a magnesium deficiency or a genetic defect from the hatchery. She has been separated from the rest of the flock. The more we talked she seemed to think it was genetic.

9) I tried to post a picture but I am challenged!

10) We have 4 hens and they roam the backyard. The coop can hold 5 hens.

11)We use cedar chips. Right now she is on grass. I put her roosting stick in at night so she is off the ground.

12)No.

13) Yes. None.

14) she is light and is getting used to being carted around.

 

[kathyinmo]

First, I must advise you to remove the cedar chips immediately. Cedar is toxic to chickens. I wonder if this may possibly be the problem. Recently I had a chicken with curled toes, and it was a vitamin deficiency. I suggest 3 drops PolyViSol (Enfamil brand) infant vitamins daily and a vitamin B (a human B complex vitamin) and vitamin E with selinium to your bird's daily feeding. Yes, it is very important to feed the layer pellets as 90 - 95% of the diet. Treats, greens and other to total 5% or so.

Good luck. I hope someone else with more experience will jump in here, as well.