Bad case of the scaly mites on 3 silkies Pics included

[welasharon]

Yes you will need to treat the coop, run areas. Adam's flea spray is used, the seven dust, I am sure there are other things to use too. Someone will probably mention them. You may want to switch to a more liquid oil to soak the crusty stuff off better. It seems to seep into the crevices better than the vasoline.
sharon

 

[krazychick28]

I thoroughly washed the coop today and took out all the hay and sprinkled sevin dust in the coop and around it. I than put petroleum jelly on all the chickens feet

 

[welasharon]

Sounds like you and your chicks are on the mend! After dealing with the ones that I treated I am now going to oil my chickens legs every few months just as a precaution.
sharon

 

[krazychick28]

Yea cause there is no guarantee that all the mites were killed.

 

[purpletree23]

I responded to your other post. Glad to see that you cleaned out the coop. Continue to soak her feet in the flea and tick shampoo mixed with warm water and brush GENTLY with a toothbrush only the thick areas of poo. You want to make the thick areas of poo thinner so eventually it will soak off. Don't try to pry it off. The soakings and the coating of vaseline after every soak will eventually do the job. You shouldn't be causing bleeding and lost scales. Remember to snip off those feathers that are in the way. It might make treatment easier and it will let you know if there is a problem higher up. They will grow back.

Are you increasing their fruit and veggie intake so they can get their body weight back to where it is supposed to be?

Make sure you dust the roosts really well with the Sevin especially any cracks.

 

[krazychick28]

I completely sprayed down that coop and dusted it with sevin dust. I have been giving them a mixture of strawberries, yogurt, their layer mash and I gave them some collard greens and scrambled eggs. I will probably cut them up an apple or banana tomorrow and mix it in with their food. They are gaining weight now because of it which is good because they were so skinny. I clipped the feathers off the best I could, but the one hen it was practically impossible because if you clipped the feathers she would bleed. So I stopped that. I haven't scrubbed their feet in 2 days but I have been putting the petroleum jelly on their feet. They were in so much discomfort I was afraid to scrub anymore. I got most of the mite poop off. There is some here and there but its mostly all falling off now because of the jelly.
The scales that I accidentally ripped off, will they grow back?

 

[Miss Lydia]

are you also putting the petroleum jelly all up their legs also? that an important part of tratment making sure all the skin is treated. Happy to hear they are doing better..

 

[welasharon]

Hey Krazychick,
I read when I was searching for info that they moult their scales like they do their feathers??? so if that is the case they should unless damaged too bad. Yours didn't look so horribly bad so maybe they will be fine. There were some silkies that I had to treat too and I was not able to clip off many feathers either. Pay particular attention to where their toes bend and make sure that there isn't a hardened ring digging into the toe there. That was the last part to get off for me. It took lots of soaking and teasing with tweezers for it to come loose. On a couple I had to snip it to pull it off. I found if I wrapped them up in a towel with their feet sticking out they didn't seem to be bothered and would lay there while I worked on them. I am glad you found them before toes were lost. It is amazing the damage such a small creature can cause. It is easy to miss on heavily feathered chickens like silkies.
sharon

 

[spish]

hi sorry to butt in but i have a similar problem and didnt see the point in starting a new thread. just picked up 3 buff orpingtons, the hens feet are fine but the roo has terrible crusty looking feet. im guessing scaly leg mites.
im guessing from this thread that i need to soak his feet....in what oil exactly?
how often?
can i use zerox-p dust on his feet (its a mite/lice killing powder)
i also have a mite/lice shampoo for guineapigs that i could use also lice/mite treatmeent for g-p's, or ivomec pour on for cattle. which would be best?

i have him and his two girls in a large cage at the moment...should i treat the girls feet too 'just in case'
what do i use the petrolium jelly for? to sooth his feet or?

 

[hallerlake]

Spraying the feet with WD-40 is easier than applying vaseline. They used to dip feet in Kerosene and paraffin, but WD-40 does the same thing. The point of the oil is to smother the mites. You have to do it at intervals of a week to ten days to get any that have hatched out.
Mixing things like mint, lavender, or rosemary in with their bedding discourages mites and lice. Plus, you'll have the freshest smelling chickens in town.