Help! scaly leg mites

[Sophia TARDIS]

I believe that my bantam has scaly leg mites
But she's not acting lethargic, she's completely normal eating, drinking and acting like her usual self.
Her scales are raised up and when you pick her up and hold her feet you get tiny light brown bugs on your hands it could be lice not Shure yet.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Try giving it a generous smear of petroleum jelly. That'll suffocate the little buggers!

 

[Kiki]

Try using a spray for scaly leg mites....it will be much easier to apply.View media item 7895288Or use a permethrin based spray for other mites and lice:

 

[Kiki]

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

You can try the suffocating, some report that it works though I don't personally have any experience. And I have see some who use like Crisco or lard or mayonnaise instead of Vaseline since it is edible.

I am fond of the permethrin spray (mine is a small bottle labeled horse fly spray) because it is safe, affordable, easy to use, and very effective with NO withdrawal time for eggs if used according to directions. However my research indicates that it may NOT be effective on scaly lag mite (isn't included on their list either) because they are a systemic parasite feeding on the blood that may not come out to the sprayed/treated surface and therefore may continue to thrive. If you decide to, than Ivermectin pour on is one of the accepted treatments which also has the side benefit of treating for other worms but DOES require withdrawal from eggs and in fact might be off label use for poultry and is also used to treat depluming mites.

Please note, birds don't have to act sick when they get something, that would only be after a very long time and they are really suffering, possibly even coming down with other secondary issues. Chickens are prey animals and will do everything they can to hide any issues they have or they will be preyed on first as well as sometimes beat up or alienated by the flock. I took a bird to the vet and expressed concern for scaly leg mites. He said I should see keratin build up on the legs. How old is your girl? Maybe post a pic?