Free Chickens...they need some love

[walker1229]

I received 5 laying hens and a rooster today, they all seem ok at first look, but then I noticed they have scaly leg mites, looked up old threads and have a plan for tomorrow. I saw one hen with a slight bear spot on her back by the tail, I figured it might have been from the rooster getting friendly...but then I noticed the rooster has a similar spot, it is getting cold could it be molting or mites? Also a couple of them have pretty long toe nails, some lay sideways when they stand, but not permanently they will move from side to side, should I trim these?

 

[Pyxis]

I'd trim the nails, but be careful not to get the quick, just like when trimming dog nails, and have some flour on hand to use to stop the bleeding, just in case. As for the bald spots, I'd go ahead and dust, just to be safe. If they have scaly leg mites, they may well have other parasites like lice or mites that are causing the feather loss. You may also want to worm them just to be thorough.

 

[walker1229]

Thanks, when you say dust them would I use DE to do that or something else?

 

[Pyxis]

DE is a preventative, but doesn't help with an active infestation. You should actually dust with Sevin dust, which comes in a red bottle and can be found in the garden section of places like Tractor Supply or Walmart. Dust the birds and clean out the coop and dust it too, and then do it again in a week to kill the eggs that will have hatched since the first dusting, since the dust only kills lice and mites and not their eggs.

 

[aart]

Might want to use some less toxic than Sevin.

Like Permethrin (Permectrin II, ProZap, etc) - No egg withdrawal when used according to label directions.

Bag balm or vaseline or cooking oil on the legs for the scaly leg mites.

 

[Pyxis]

Might want to use some less toxic than Sevin.

Like Permethrin (Permectrin II, ProZap, etc) - No egg withdrawal when used according to label directions.

Bag balm or vaseline or cooking oil on the legs for the scaly leg mites.

Just a heads up that if you decide to go with Permethrin, it is extremely toxic to cats, which is why I don't recommend it. I never know if someone has cats or not. It's also very toxic to fish, so I wouldn't use it if you live near a river or pond.

 

[aart]

Quote: That's true, just learned that myself...wonder if Sevin wold kill a cat?......
.......almost any pesticide is going to be detrimental to aquatic life.

 

[Pyxis]

That's true, just learned that myself...wonder if Sevin wold kill a cat?......
.......almost any pesticide is going to be detrimental to aquatic life.

Actually, you can use Carbaryl, which is Sevin's active ingredient, on cats and dogs to kill fleas. I wouldn't since it's not a preventative and would only kill what they are currently carrying, but you can do it.

 

[aart]

Quote: That stuff is nasty tho and banned form use on poultry.

• Carbaryl (Sevin) -lifetime withdrawal per FARAD

 

[Ridgerunner]

Aart, what is your source for lifetime withdrawal for Sevin? I don’t know what FARAD is. Google did not help. I specifically asked a Poultry Science Professor with a specialty in diseases about withdrawal after dusting with Sevin. His response was zero withdrawal. You can use the eggs immediately, even if you use Sevin to dust the nest as well as the bird. I wouldn’t anyway but that’s me being overcautious. I’d wait at least to the next day and wash them well.

There are a lot of different poisons that will do the job for fowl mites or red roost mites. To me a poison is a poison is a poison. All should be treated with respect and selected for the specific job at hand. Most can harm the environment if used wrong. Aquatic life seems to be especially at risk so yes, take precautions from any poison getting into the water system. But don’t forget dosage. There is a big difference in crop dusting a huge field with a chemical to dusting a few chickens with the same chemical.

Take precautions with any of them. Wear breathing protection. Don’t treat your chickens where the poison will immediately enter a stream or pond. These poisons break down over time, some a lot faster than others. Sunlight or exposure to air usually helps them break down pretty quickly, especially compared to having them “protected” somewhere. Use them in the open.