Help.. My Hen Has Really Scaly Legs!

[CHIC]

I don't know if this is an emergency or not but my EE hen has developed these scaly looking legs. They looked like someone took a knife upward on them and made them rough. They aren't bloody or injured or anything but they weren't always like that. They just look gross like you wouldn't wanna touch them.. I don't know if it means anything at all... any suggestions?

 

[Wynette]

Scaley Leg Mites - do a search on here. Good luck!

 

[CHIC]

None of the others have the problem... Does that matter? I am doin a search now.

 

[PortageGirl]

oh, they all have mites, almost guarentee it, they just aren't as established and the birds aren't showing symptoms. Get em dusted and coat the badly affected one's legs with vasoline to suffocate the mites, and clean and dust your coop. If one has em, there are more that will show up.

 

[CHIC]

Wow, I have never even heard of scaly leg mites. I definately think thats what it is though. I am not looking forward to taking care of this.

 

[jjrabbit2]

I just recently had this problem and tried the vasoline method but its gunky and gross and everything sticks to it. Olive oil works too and then I had this Idea to use my emu oil that I use topicly for inflamation and pain becuz mine was limping also. It will eat their feet right off if you dont catch it. Any way The emu oil works really fast by day 2 she wasnt limping any more and a week later now scales on her legs are growing back and smoothing out! Works great does the same thing as vasoline It suffocates them and also helps moisturize the skin so all that yucky white crap/dead skin falls off. Good Luck!

 

[jjthink]

Bagbalm is also wonderful. I use it whenever I see kind of scaly legs, regardless of reason. It's amazing the regeneration I've seen.
JJ

 

[Kev]

ANYTHING sticky will work. WD-40(very redneck and not recommended.. but a lot of people do use it..), cooking oil sprays, dog shampoo, etc etc will all work. They work because they choke the mites.

Also, scaly leg mites suck blood, so wormers that kill anything that sucks blood will work great plus you can treat the whole flock without having to do the messy job of stickying up everyone's legs(especially if you have a lot of birds.....). So, ivomec, anything with ivermectin will work good. Just be nice to sticky up that worst case's legs for more immediate relief and treat everybody generally with ivermectin.