please help; hens with 'barnacle-like' feet

[cathymorton]

Can anyone please help us with this. We lost one of our hens; and have another one isolated; both of their feet looked like this photograph. I did some research and think it might be scaly leg mites, ...but we are not sure. I examined our other chickens and do see the beginnings of what looks to be this barnacle feet looking thing. I am afraid that it might run through their coop. I bleached their coop, soaked their feet in warm bleach and soapy water and then dipped their legs in sunflower oil. For the chickens whose feet I think are starting to be affected, this seemed to feel good to them. I have dusted them with a recommended mite and lice dust (it is down at the coop right now or i would give you the name). Also, I regularly use food grade Diatomaceous Earth in their nest boxes and in their Organic pellets and I regularly dust them with it, too. About eight days ago I brought in five pullets from another nearby farm; they are not affected and the flock from which they came looked to be healthy. All of the chickens' appetites are good, even the isolated hen. Any thoughts would be so much appreciated. Thank you. cathy

 

[Eggcessive]

This is really bad scaley leg mites. Treat by soaking in warm soapy water once a week, scrubbing legs with an old toothbrush very gently to loosen scales, and then after drying them, apply vaseline, vegetable oil, or castor oil and rub into the scales. A case like this will take a few months to get hezlathy new scales. Clean out the coop and nest box shavings, spray with permethrin, and check their bodies for mites and lice. Permethrin dust or sevin dust is good for body lice and mites.

 

[cathymorton]

thank you very much. do you know how a coop becomes infested with the scaly leg mites?