scaley leg mites on broody hens?

[mamahen82]

Hi - I picked up a small box of chickens last summer at the auction. I am very new to chickens so thought their scaly legs might just have to do with their age or breed or something...anyhow - I've never thought about it except lately I read an article discussing it and I'm pretty sure that's what they have! All 5 from the auction look like that, the two that we acquired otherwise look smooth and pink as opposed to grey, gross, and scaley.

I was planning on dipping their legs in a pot of vegetable oil every day to try to suffocate the mites, however two of the hens are currently broody and setting eggs. Are the mites going to affect the babies right away? Should I be "dipping" the broody hens as well?

help!

 

[Frannabelle]

I'm not sure if the oil will affect the eggs badly...but the oil will work to smother the mites. Vaseline works too. I used Bag Balm and people here on BYC turned me on to Ivomec Eprinex, which I dosed my birds with. No more mites between the 2 treatments.
To find out about the Ivomec, search the term. That's how I found my answers here.

Good luck!

 

[mrkpero]

I second the bag balm and eprinex. My girl looked so much better after a week and a half.

 

[TheBirdiesAreMyBabies777]

Do you have to apply the Eprinex directly on the birds' legs & in their scales to treat scaly leg mites or will a dose between their shoulders be enough to treat both their body and legs?

 

[trailchick]

I think the oil will clog the pores on the eggs and could smother the embryos. Reason why hands need to clean when handling egg to be incubated. I would wait on the broody ones, IMO...

 

[sourland]

Quote:
If they eggs were fertile, the chicks hatched 3 and a half months ago.