EXTREME leg mites. Please HELP!! :(

[tmlpike]

I feel like a horrible mother I got these chickens about a year ago from someone who couldn't keep them. I never had these kind of breeds before. I thought that their bumpy feet were normal. Boy was I wrong. I feel so stupid.. Lately, I have noticed really how bad their feet have gotten. I knew something wasn't right, so I did some research and learned that they have leg mites. I couldn't find any pictures on the internet that are as bad of a case as my girls have it. All I want is for them to be okay.

My black bantam Willow is a mother. Last Wednesday night, she hatched 2 Plymouth Rock eggs. She is a great mother. But she CONSTANTLY picks at her feet. It has gotten so bad that she barely has any leg scales left. poor baby. Her feet are so red

Maple is Willow's mother. She does not pick at her feet, that is why she has so much build up. I'm sorry the pictures look so disgusting.

I should have done something sooner, then it wouldn't have gotten this bad. Ugh, I feel horrible my poor babies. This is what I've done so far. I have soaked their feet in water. Then, I coated them with vegetable oil. Next, with a toothbrush, I covered their feet with Vaseline, making sure to get within the cracks. I have tried to peel of some of Maple's growth things on her feet. Should I be doing this? Or should I leave it on? Or, will it gradually come off by itself as I continue to treat her? Willow picks off the stuff by herself. Will their leg scales ever grow back? I sure hope so! Should I be doing anything else to help them? Thank you so much <3

 

[tmlpike]

I would really like to know whether or not I should be scrubbing off or peeling off the excess skin/scaly stuff on the chickens' legs. Thanks so much

 

[Eggcessive]

The first chicken also looks as if she may have some old frostbite from winter by the the black-looking toes. I would probably use warm epsom salts at least once a week or warm soapy water with an old tooth brush to gently loosen the scales. Dry them, and apply vegetable oil, vaseline, or castor oil and rub it in underneath any loose scales. This may take a few months, but the healthy scales should start to grow back in eventually.

 

[tmlpike]

Thank you so much for replying. Her black toes are her normal scale colours. So should all of the bad mite infested scales eventually come off by themselves with the gently scrubbing? Just curious what the Epsom salts would do. Thank you so much!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

The epsom salts are not necessary, but they can soothe, clean, and help reduce inflammation. I recommended the use of them more for the blackness in the feet which I mistakenly thought was tissue damage. Warm soapy water is probably all you need. The scrubbing is not to remove the scales, but to loosen them so that the oil or vaseline can get under them to smother the mites. Eventually the new scales will start growing in. Here are a couple of good links to read:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/03/scaly-leg-mites-in-chickens.html
http://poultrykeeper.com/external-problems/scaly-leg-mite

 

[enola]

Don't beat yourself up! A lot of people don't notice scaley leg mites any sooner than you did. You are treating them, that is all that matters.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Interesting that in that second link they recommend the use of ivermectin . I have tried the chicken chicks method and it works. I also found that Vicks vapour rub was more effective and I only had to apply it twice.

 

[Boerbok]

You can use deto just wet a cotton and dabb it everyday befor you know it's gone and won't harm your chicken.

 

[Fancychooklady]

The mites hide up under the scales on the legs. The oil, Vaseline or Vicks is smothering them so the thicker and more viscous the product , the better. With Vaseline and Vicks they also get a lot of dirt sticking to the product which aids in the caking on and smothering.

 

[Pinkaboo]

You can use deto just wet a cotton and dabb it everyday befor you know it's gone and won't harm your chicken.

What is deto?