Is scaly leg mites treatable without foot soaks?

[citychicks99]

I did some research including asking Chatgpt how to treat scaly leg mites in my chickens. They also had northern fowl mites and red mites I think.

Last week, I got a plan to give them a foot soak twice a week for the first week with Epsom salts, Vaseline + sulfur rub 2-3x a week. I also dosed them with Ivermectin and cleaned and sprayed their coop with Elector PSP.

I was supposed to give them their second foot soak last night but since I did each individual bird one at a time the last time, I found it overwhelming and thought I would try the bucket trick, where you cut a hole in the lid of a 5-gallon bucket, and put the chicken in it. I thought I'd use a T-shirt instead of a lid because I thought it would hurt their necks. I also tried to soak 4 birds at a time. But I ended up drowning my rooster when I tried this. I stepped away to get another hen and he freaked out and stuck his head inside the bucket and drowned. It only took 30 seconds and I feel awful for being negligent.

I just slathered the rest of the chicken's feet with the rub last night and will dose them with Ivermectin again 2x following the 7-day intervals. I'll still use the foot rub maybe 2-3x a week but I'd really rather not do any more foot soaks. He had the worst case of SLM btw. It isn't too noticable on the hens.

Btw, I think he had an infection on his belly. It was red and raw last week, I think from mites, and when I checked it last night it smelled like poop. I didn't realize it was an infection later until my bf pointed it out when I told him. I hope it isn't contagious. I buried him in my backyard and now I'm a bit worried it might transfer to the hens through the soil.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your rooster. That is just awful. Ivermectin should only be used once and again after 14 days. I don’t usually soak my birds’ legs with scaly leg mites, but coat their legs and feet well with the oil twice a week. There is a long egg withdrawal time with ivermectin. You can use the Elector PSP on the chickens for body lice and mites. You have to be persistent and consistent treating mites. They hatch every 5-7 days. Elector PSP is probably better than permethrin. Inspect them every 7 days to see if you need to treat them the second or third time. Be careful using toomany chemicals on your chickens, but mites can hide in cracks and crevices, so cleaning and treating the coop, nexts, and roosts, plus using something other than straw in coops can be helpful. Mites can be brought in and hide inside straw. Preventing wild birds from coming in cannhelp too.

 

[citychicks99]

Sorry about your rooster. That is just awful. Ivermectin should only be used once and again after 14 days. I don’t usually soak my birds’ legs with scaly leg mites, but coat their legs and feet well with the oil twice a week. There is a long egg withdrawal time with ivermectin. You can use the Elector PSP on the chickens for body lice and mites. You have to be persistent and consistent treating mites. They hatch every 5-7 days. Elector PSP is probably better than permethrin. Inspect them every 7 days to see if you need to treat them the second or third time. Be careful using toomany chemicals on your chickens, but mites can hide in cracks and crevices, so cleaning and treating the coop, nexts, and roosts, plus using something other than straw in coops can be helpful. Mites can be brought in and hide inside straw. Preventing wild birds from coming in cannhelp too.

Thank you. I've never had SLM before and kept seeing that people were soaking their birds. I'll just keep up with the Vaseline or maybe I'll switch to castor oil. We have rat problems so I don't want to use vegetable oil. I'll do ivermectin in 14 day intervals then.

I realized wild birds were coming in their run since we didn't cover the top completely. I just covered it with a tarp for now until we can figure out something more long-term. They like to free range though and we get birds in our backyard sometimes, even in the other side of the yard not where their coop is. I wonder if any of the detracting devices work..

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I am so sorry about your rooster.
If you want to use something other than straw in your coop, may I recommend shredded paper. Many professional offices will be happy to give it away and will give you as many big trash bags full as you want. My husband works at a bank so that's where I get mine. Not only is it free, clean and easy to to transport, but it has no odor and stays fresh and dry for a very long time. You can use it in the nests and the chickens like it, just fluff it up a bit from time to time. And best of all, it does NOT harbor pests of any kind. If it gets wet, just throw it in the compost heap.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'll do ivermectin in 14 day intervals then.

Did you catch what @Eggcessive said about not being able to use the eggs for an extended time if you use Ivermectin? She used the term "egg withdrawal."

 

[Eggcessive]

Rats are usually after the spilled chicken feed. I like to put the feeders up at night. You can use vaseline, Nustock cream with sulfur, Vicks salve is very good and kills leg mites, and castor oil is very good as well. Large bottles can be found online. I have had a problem with sparrows in the past, and 1/2 hardware cloth on my run helped.

 

[citychicks99]

Did you catch what @Eggcessive said about not being able to use the eggs for an extended time if you use Ivermectin? She used the term "egg withdrawal."

Yes! I'll do a two week egg withdrawal.

 

[citychicks99]

I am so sorry about your rooster.
If you want to use something other than straw in your coop, may I recommend shredded paper. Many professional offices will be happy to give it away and will give you as many big trash bags full as you want. My husband works at a bank so that's where I get mine. Not only is it free, clean and easy to to transport, but it has no odor and stays fresh and dry for a very long time. You can use it in the nests and the chickens like it, just fluff it up a bit from time to time. And best of all, it does NOT harbor pests of any kind. If it gets wet, just throw it in the compost heap.

Thank you! I like this idea.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The few times I've hsd SLM, I just smeared my chickens' legs with goop like Vaseline, cocoa butter or lanoln every night for a week or so. I know I don't have to do it every night and am only supposed to do it on a 5 to 7 day interval, but I also know I won't remember to do it on the 5th or 7th day, lol! So this works for me and honestly by about the 3rd day I can tell the chickens seem to really like it. I do it at night when they have gone to roost.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes! I'll do a two week egg withdrawal.

Sounds good. You need to withdraw between the two treatments and at least two weeks after, I believe. I did that last year after worming with Valbazen. I have 20+ layers and they were producing well. I discarded over 300 eggs!