Can hens have bad reaction to oil soaking method for scaly leg mites?

[Vamper]

I have a few questions to ask regarding my girls but think it would be better to get photos of other issues to help with my questions BUT this one is hopefully straight forward! !
So i was recently given to Sussex hens about 12-14mts Old after putting a call out on Facebook page asking if anyone had any hens after loosing my Isa Tash leaving a very upset Black Australorp called Betty wondering around the yard calling for her. .Betty had a very rough start after being bullied by my Isas. The sussexs were extremely flighty and very big girls, shorter thicker legs than Betty but looked healthy and clean so i didn't give them a good check over when tHey first arrived & on good assumption they were in good health. So i named them Salty & Pepper to match the colour !! I did notice one of them was walking weird .ike trying to step over something . I msg the previous owner and was advised they didn't notice that and put it down to a bump or bruise in tge moving process. So two weeks have passed & noticed one of them was more "reserved" than their usual flighty self and actually let me go up to her without the chedt puff snd flapping wings and literally hurdling over my shoulder (sussexs can jump rather high!) i noticed a little bit of poop stuck to back feathers but nothing major and they are super fluffy chicks. So we had a squizz only to find thousands of beige coloured bugs racing around her bum area and hard crusty bits everywhere which im assuming are the eggs and old skin. Salty was way worse than pepper so i got on this page and researched what i need to do after identifying she had lice. I dowsed her in Derma Earth along with Pepper and did a quick check in Betty who had nothing. I also got to see those chunky legs up close and wanted to check the leg issue on Pepper in case it was a serious injury. On top of having really over grown nails which i trimmed down and thought it may have been causing the leg issue i identified they both have scaly leg mites. Also she was not wanting to go into tbe coop and it was already dark. .Those girls are ready for bed by 5pm So this morning i cleaned out the pen completely, made up a garlic juice with tea tree oil and lavender, sprayed the wood and corners, burnt the old hay in boxes and it was left clean and fresh. . This evening i coated there legs with oil and did Betty as well to be safe. I went out to check on them and the new layout and found Betty not sleeping but pruning herself then noticed the feathers everywhere. Watched her a little longer and she was getting aggressive with her wing feathers and thsts where i caoud see some oil on there (probably had a bit on my hands when i carried her back into the pen. I brought her inside so i could gently wipe as much of it off and realised shd had pulled a fsir few from her belly area. The other two were sleeping happily in the beds and not bothered by the oiling. Could a bit of oil on her feathers cause such distress??
I know she had been booted to kurb by the other two as they won't let her eat and peck her head if shes close by, wont let her nest to lay her egg etc & noticed her comb is looking drab again and i feed her away from where the others cant see. She let me clean her amd i could feel her shaking in my arms i wrapped her in a shirt and put food out for her, she ate bits but was acting weird inside, irratic loke she could see things flying above my head, shes been inside before and whe sitting on my lap started panting ? I always wondered if she was partially blind, i xsm see a white sheer dot in the middle of her eyeball and she cant normally see food in front of her like a wriggly worm i pulled out of the garden for her. She also looks like some festhers on one wing are out of place, shes had it since the bullying started with my first two but she was really pecking at them tonight. She has no mites or lice as of this afternoon and im super worried about her as she is my special PTSD hen. Ive got some photos of the wing thing and a short video of her irratic inside behavior. Sorry for tbe long post but needed to explain surrounding circumstances! ?
I will get photos tomorrow of Salty and Pepper

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

@Wyorp Rock @casportpony @Farmer Connie @kikigirls

 

[rebrascora]

I'm not seeing any video footage but wondering if she is starting to moult early if her comb is drab and she is losing feathers.
It may also be that she is stressed. Sadly introducing new birds does not always go smoothly and it seems poor Betty is destined to be bottom of the pecking order. I'm not sure what type of oil you used for their legs but if it was a straightforward cooking oil or coconut oil, I can't see that being a problem. Diatomaceous earth can cause respiratory problems and is not the most effective product at killing lice but you seem to be saying that that issue is resolved. It may be that her breathing has been affected by that treatment or it could be that your new birds have brought a disease with them like Marek's and Betty is now showing some possible symptoms of that. The strange gait of the Sussex could be a neurological symptom of it, the disease has a huge range of possible symptoms all of which can vary in severity. I hope I am wrong. Sight issues and breathing difficulties can certainly be signs of it.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

The thousands of bugs you can see with the naked eye can't be scaly leg mites. They sound a lot more like lice. Lice are very itchy.
Scaly leg mites are microscopic.
Chickens pant when they are hot, when they're stressed out, or have a respiratory problem or gapeworms. Mine would get stressed out if I handled them too much. Just a thought.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

find thousands of beige coloured bugs racing around her bum area and hard crusty bits everywhere which im assuming are the eggs and old skin.

I dowsed her in Derma Earth

having really over grown nails which i trimmed down and thought it may have been causing the leg issue i identified they both have scaly leg mites.

This evening i coated there legs with oil and did Betty as well to be safe.

Could a bit of oil on her feathers cause such distress??

It sounds like Betty contracted lice from the others - that would account for the vigorous preening.
Get a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust and treat Betty and the other girls. Clean out your coop and treat it with the Permethrin as well. You need to get rid of the lice asap.
IMHO, herbal remedies and DE do nothing for an active infestation.

What type of oil did you use on the legs? I agree with @rebrascora if you used something like Coconut oil, then likely the breathing issue is not related to the oil. DE can cause respiratory symptoms. You also brought in 2 birds and introduced them to Betty, there is always a possibility they could be carriers of respiratory illness. I would give her a rest if she is being picked on, it's unfortunate that it is her "turf" but she is outnumbered. Cage her in the run or coop so she is protected, but not completely outcast from the others. Give her poultry vitamins and extra protein.

As for the other one walking check her crop to make sure it's emptying overnight. Overgrown nails could be the cause depending on what they look like, some chickens that have crop problems also do a high step too.

Look forward to more information, photos and your video.

 

[Vamper]

Yes i think she may have got lice from them and it only happened this afternoon as i checked her at lunchtime and she had nothing on her? Salty was pretty badly covered around her vent area mainly and on a brief check this afternoon they were not as, many as night before. I was going to bath her to get rid of all the buildup sruff and eggs off her. But will check them all in the morning.
Will try to get video of the odd walk bit she is is the super flighty one still bit i would rather know what im dealing with before it can get any worse.

I didn't let them near the pen while i cleaned it out to minimise breathing it in so im hoping its just stress related as i saw Pepper really have a good go at her for stepping into the nest box which i quickly stopped.
I just checked the bottle of oil. I actually used Grapeseed oil instead of sunflower oil. .grabbed wrong bottle in my hurry but don't think that would be an issue as still a cooking edable oil? ?
I will check them early this morning snd see what i can find.. Salty and Pepper. .Especially pepper dont lime being caught bit sit happily in my arms and get cuddles !! They were not used to human contact and lived in a free range setup and shared a pen eith Sussex Rooster and a turkey. Actually in the pic i just attached you can see how thick there feet look

It sounds like Betty contracted lice from the others - that would account for the vigorous preening.
Get a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust and treat Betty and the other girls. Clean out your coop and treat it with the Permethrin as well. You need to get rid of the lice asap.
IMHO, herbal remedies and DE do nothing for an active infestation.

What type of oil did you use on the legs? I agree with @rebrascora if you used something like Coconut oil, then likely the breathing issue is not related to the oil. DE can cause respiratory symptoms. You also brought in 2 birds and introduced them to Betty, there is always a possibility they could be carriers of respiratory illness. I would give her a rest if she is being picked on, it's unfortunate that it is her "turf" but she is outnumbered. Cage her in the run or coop so she is protected, but not completely outcast from the others. Give her poultry vitamins and extra protein.

As for the other one walking check her crop to make sure it's emptying overnight. Overgrown nails could be the cause depending on what they look like, some chickens that have crop problems also do a high step too.

Look forward to more information, photos and your video.

 

[Vamper]

The thousands of bugs you can see with the naked eye can't be scaly leg mites. They sound a lot more like lice. Lice are very itchy.
Scaly leg mites are microscopic.
Chickens pant when they are hot, when they're stressed out, or have a respiratory problem or gapeworms. Mine would get stressed out if I handled them too much. Just a thought.

Hi Sue, yes sorry i saw the lice and seen state of there legs and nails. Bettu is a cuddle lover.. Since Tash passed she practically jumos up into my arms in the morning now and i very cautious of her stressing out. It was just odd behavior and it was bloody freezing here at night!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She has quite a swollen foot. It could all be related to the SLM, but I would take a look at the bottom of the foot for any scabs that would indicate Bumblefoot.

The Grapeseed oil should have been fine to ingest.

 

[Vamper]

Yes im hoping its not that either. She appears to be a bit more sensitive to me touching that particular leg and i also noticed a black mark which at quick glance could be mud or dirt.
Closer inspection its part of the leg. .i will get some photos todsy hopefully as i can't explain it very well but i did see another post abput something similar but Pepers is not swollen. Video wouldn't load sorry bit illl try to get more today.

I'm not seeing any video footage but wondering if she is starting to moult early if her comb is drab and she is losing feathers.
It may also be that she is stressed. Sadly introducing new birds does not always go smoothly and it seems poor Betty is destined to be bottom of the pecking order. I'm not sure what type of oil you used for their legs but if it was a straightforward cooking oil or coconut oil, I can't see that being a problem. Diatomaceous earth can cause respiratory problems and is not the most effective product at killing lice but you seem to be saying that that issue is resolved. It may be that her breathing has been affected by that treatment or it could be that your new birds have brought a disease with them like Marek's and Betty is now showing some possible symptoms of that. The strange gait of the Sussex could be a neurological symptom of it, the disease has a huge range of possible symptoms all of which can vary in severity. I hope I am wrong. Sight issues and breathing difficulties can certainly be signs of it.

 

[Vamper]

She has quite a swollen foot. It could all be related to the SLM, but I would take a look at the bottom of the foot for any scabs that would indicate Bumblefoot.

The Grapeseed oil should have been fine to ingest.

No scabs on bottoms of her feet, just weird black mark in middle of leg. .Ill get photo today of it. Thank-you for your comments so far x