Red patches on legs. Anyone know what this is?

[shellyrose]

Noticed these red patches coming up on my roosters legs over the past few weeks, anyone know if this is a sign of disease? I lost a hen to a mystery illness last week wondering if it may be related.

 

[ChickenCrazy4ever]

I just noticed that on some of my chickens legs today. It looked like that but went in a straight line up the leg on the outside, and I was just getting ready to make a post about it.

 

[shellyrose]

Yeah, mine went in a line on the outside of leg too, hard to photograph properly, then it has moved to the feet as well. Very strange.

 

[chicks4kids]

I'm wondering if it might be the start of leg mites...just getting established perhaps. I'd look into it for sure. If it is leg mites, you'll want to tackle it immediately with a few days coating their leggs and toes with vaseline.

 

[ChickenCrazy4ever]

Leg mites? That means half my flock has them! Where do the mites come from?

 

[Imp]

Rooster hormones can cause that.

Imp- I think they are..well umm.. interested.

 

[Erica]

The pink/red is a sign of virility... Active roosters often have the red stripe. Nothing to worry about.
Having said that, it does look from the picture like there might be some leg mite happening... Easily fixed with vaseline or olive oil and a dusting of the areas they roost and preen in.
cheers
Erica

 

[ChickenCrazy4ever]

Quote:
My hens have that. Does that mean I need to put olive oil or vasoline on their legs? If so, do I put it on the whole leg or just where the red is?

 

[sourland]

Quote:
My hens have that. Does that mean I need to put olive oil or vasoline on their legs? If so, do I put it on the whole leg or just where the red is?

That rooster is showing signs of a POSSIBLE scaley infestation in addition to the reddening. The reddening has nothing to do with scaley leg mites and is a normal occurrence in some birds especially roosters.

 

[chicks4kids]

Quote:
Yeah, on the front of the right leg it appears to have some raised "scales"-which from my understanding is mite poo