INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Old Salt 1945]

For scaley leg mites, just some oil applied to the legs for a few days to a week or so works well. Can use regular cooking oil, coconut oil, etc. It smothers the mites then helps restore the scales. Also put some oil around the crevices at the roost edges, floor edges, etc. Smothers those eggs.

Another good item is called NuStock. It has pine tar and sulfur. Amazing stuff that really takes care of them well (again, without harsh chemicals). But NuStock has a really strong smell! Great stuff for killing nits around the vent, treating vent gleet (it's anti-fungal) and a good all-around healing ointment (also anti-biotic).

I always keep NuStock in my animal first aid. If you can stand the smell, it's one of the best!

http://www.amazon.com/Nu-Stock-by-Durvet-12-oz/dp/B000HHSIYQ

I haven't used this product, but "flowers of sulfur" (basically sulfur dust) has been used for centuries until unstinky modern pesticides became available. Pine tar is also good and makes the sulfur stay where you put it.

John

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Whew made it! So apparently my calf had gorged himself on feed while we were gone Sunday. Baking soda and milk of mag fixed him right up, couldn't even tell he was sick the next morning!

My son has been really excited about blue eggs

DH had a guy about trying to find someplace to isolate the new birds so I took my chances and threw them in with everyone else. I was very surprised how well it's gone! My roo has done a great job of breaking up squabbles, surprisingly.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall.......................

John

 

[Old Salt 1945]

I'm guessing they were born around the 14th of Sept, they were about a week when I got them, so around 2 weeks now? they were just feathering at the tips off their wings when I got them, now all the wings are in and the tail feathers are starting, I'm not clear on the age, for them from RK so they never know

IMO 2 weeks is a bit young to go without heat overnight. They should be OK during the afternoon. I would leave a heat source available to them at all times. The will go there if they get chilled.

John

They will be at the Lebanon show, so get on their case there. If Jennifer is there, she's the one to talk to (blond with a monkey); otherwise any of them. Bill is usually pretty good about seeing that things are taken care of, too.

Yes, tell her to stop monkeying around and send you your subscription.

John

 

[Mother2Hens]

I did go ahead and treat everyone for scaly mites to be on the safe side with vetRX. Some had dry looking legs too. I will be cleaning out the coop today as added measure. Or do I need to? I use DLM with poop board. I didn't see any mites on the walls, floor area, poop board or perches.

Scaly Leg Mites
I'm the one who suggested VetRx because it worked quickly and was much easier than the regiment that we had followed, which took two people: We first dipped my BR Tweedy's feet/legs in warm water with a little Dawn to get them clean, then rinsed, abd dried with paper towel. Then we had her stand in a plastic container with baby oil or vegetable oil while one of us used a toothbrush to gently brush the mites from her legs. That was followed by coating the legs with vaseline. Needless to say, Tweedy was not pleased. We would do that every few nights-- it was easier to do after dark since she couldn't see well (we used LED headband lights), I had to be careful not to let her slip when I put her back on the perch. Vaseline was applied every three days. It made her feathers sticky and dirt stuck to them the following day.

Camphor or Sulfur used in conjunction with oil is the remedy for scaly leg mites. Nu-Stock is sulfer, mineral oil, and pine oil. Vet Rx is Canada balsam, oregano oil, rosemary oil, and corn oil. Either remedy works.

I used VetRx because I happened to have it in my Chicken First Aid Kit. Any smell did not linger. The directions said to apply three days in a row. I also have applied it weekly because eggs keep hatching in the same manner as fleas. Because of that, it is recommended to remove all wood shavings/nest bedding and clean/sanitize coop/perches weekly. I used a portable hand held steam cleaner because it did not dampen the coop. Some use a bleach/water mixture. Poop and loose feathers should be removed daily since mites like to live on them.

Scaly leg mites are too small to see without a microscope. The external parasites can be found in the environment and affect all birds. Put wild bird feeders away from chicken areas since they often transmit the mites. Scaly leg mites burrow into the skin and lay their eggs inside the skin. If you find any evidence of scaly leg mites the entire flock and coop should be treated. We originally put vaseline on all of the chickens' legs and feet. Luckily, we only had one other case-- Tweedy's BF, Lacey the SLW had a mild case.

Like all health issues, it's a good idea to give your birds and good visual check up each week. Google: 9 point toe to comb chicken check-up for directions.

There are many photos online of extreme cases. This photo shows how the mites raise and enlarge the scales on the chicken's foot. That's what to keep an eye out for. It begins with subtle changes.

 

[Urbanmom519]

That's a rather small coop.  Don't use a 250 watt bulb dead center with no place for the chicks to escape or you are liable to cook them.



If you had mites and lice crawling and biting all over you, you wouldn't start trying various "natural" cures like ashes, DE, stump water, pixie dust.  You would go straight for the good stuff.

I have used Sevin dust on dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, pheasants, guineas, quail, and when they got off the chickens and on my nether regions and proved resistant to a shower, myself.  Nothing that I used it on died or got sick from it.

John



my cabinet brooder had an extension pole to raise and lower the heat lamp, the whole top was cut out, as well as the inside of the front doors were replaced with wire, they seemed quite happy I thought, just growing fast,

 

[Urbanmom519]

IMO 2 weeks is a bit young to go without heat overnight.  They should be OK during the afternoon.  I would leave a heat source available to them at all times.  The will go there if they get chilled.


John


Yes, tell her to stop monkeying around and send you your subscription.


John

I do use it at night still, was just questioning the right time to cut them off, so when they are fully feathered... another 4 weeks to go

 

[Lora Indy]

Hey there Old Salt,
Did the mean girls give you any problems?
Lora

 

[Mother2Hens]

Leahs Mom~ You made me nervous when I saw your post about processing. I make sure not to see any processing photos/videos because I would have to be institutionalized.
Originally Posted by Old Salt 1945
I almost missed this opportunity to pick at you M2H. I thought you were already there. I was under the impression that they only let you out for the afternoon a RacinChickin's shindig.

John

Haha ~ When I wrote that, it crossed my mind that I might regret that description!
I just haven't become desensitized to murder like so many people have.
I have what's known as empathy.

(Note to members: I am just directing this comment towards Old Salt. I do understand that chicken processing by conscientious people is much preferred to unethical big business practices.)
Speaking of big business practices . . . we recently discussed China importing processed chicken "products" to the US.


Here's some news regarding Pork:
Shareholders of Smithfield, the world's largest pork processor, voted Tuesday to approve Shuanghui's $4.7 billion buyout. The biggest ever takeover of a U.S. company by a China firm.
Smithfield is a well-known U.S. brand founded by a father and son who began smoking hogs in 1936 in rural Virginia.
Delawaremommy posted: It was the African Geese that were there at the show. They were beautiful and so is this pair. Do you have trouble with the wattles in the winter? Or are they hardier than I give them credit for?
Jchny/Janet will have to answer that question. Unfortunately, I don't have room for geese.
pbirdhaven posted: They will be at the Lebanon show, so get on their case there. If Jennifer is there, she's the one to talk to (blond with a monkey);
A monkey at a poultry show? I bet it's not a bio-hazard!

 

[FarkerFarms]

Hey there Old Salt,
Did the mean girls give you any problems?
Lora

I took three of the hens and the rooster so I can answer for mine! The first night I got them home at dark and just plopped them on the roosts next to mine. The next day I had to kick them out of the coop mid day and close it off because they wouldn't leave the roosts to eat and drink and I wanted them to start integrating! They are seriously cowed by my flock (good thing I think!). Linus (formerly Moe) is settling in a bit quicker, my hens all looked seriously confused when he started crowing the first day! They were all cocking their heads and started walking towards the coop looking confused! Hilarious! These are the three I took (Linus is in the background of the first picture):

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

After wiping it down you can spray it with Oxine added to water (I don't remember amounts; it's on BYC somewhere). No chemicals, no odor, safe--you can even add it to your own drinking water to purify.


They will be at the Lebanon show, so get on their case there. If Jennifer is there, she's the one to talk to (blond with a monkey); otherwise any of them. Bill is usually pretty good about seeing that things are taken care of, too.

Today my mom called again. I was with her when she made the phone call. First when she called it said the number was dissconnected.I was outside when this happened so she called again to show and then all the sudden apparently it was fixed and they anwsered. She explained how this was her 5th time calling and everytime they say they will call her back and never do. The asked for info and said that the payment was declined. Really! Because the money was taken out of her bank account! Needless to say I am extremly angry, not only because I am not getting a newspaper, but because they took my moms money and are saying that they didnt!I will be sure to talk to them at Lebanon.