Scaley leg mites?

[Sanna]

Couple of my chickens seem to have scaley leg mites. Whatever research I did, I find that oil of some sort or something like petroleum jelly will take care of the problem. Also, you need to do this every day for about two weeks. Problem is, by the time I get home from work it's so dark I can't see what I'm doing outside with the birds.
What do the rest of you find to be the best way to get rid of the scaley leg mite? Or is this the most effective way? Maybe I need to just set up some sort of a light outside so I can see enough to dip their feet in oil. I have been using vegetable oil. It seems to be working. I think I'm just not doing it often enough, that's why it's not going away as fast as I was hoping.

Any better ideas or should I just keep doing what I'm doing?

 

[welasharon]

I take a flashlight out with me. The scales most likely will not go back. I think perhaps they molt their scales eventually? This is what I was told. How many times and with what frequency have you dipped them? You may want to treat the coop and nest areas with a bit of seven dust also.
sharon

 

[Vamvakas]

Use the powder for livestock that will kill mites, lice, and fleas. There's a powder that wont kill chickens if they eat it I forgot what's called but Agway sells it.

 

[Sanna]

I've only been able to do it maybe 3 times a week for the last week or so, which isn't enough. I'll have to come up with some sort of a light so I can see and get this done every night. Just a plain flash light would be difficult with the set up I have.
I have some sort of a powder for lice out in the barn. I treated the whole coop and all my chickens in the summer time when they had some kind of a lice. And now it's the leg mites turn I guess.

 

[welasharon]

Have you tried bringing the chicken inside to treat? I put them on their sides on an old towel in my lap with their heads and bodies covered and the legs sticking out to the side. I can rub the oil on the legs easily that way. What is it that makes you think it is not working?
sharon

 

[Sanna]

I don't know why I never thought of bringing them in.

I don't think that the treatment isn't working, I know it is. It seems to be getting better. What I was wondering if there was a better way to cure this proble, something that was quicker and/or easier. Maybe there was something I had missed doing my research. I might just put the girls in a box at night and bring them in the house. That's an excellent idea.

 

[Lollipop]

I don't know why I never thought of bringing them in.

I don't think that the treatment isn't working, I know it is. It seems to be getting better. What I was wondering if there was a better way to cure this proble, something that was quicker and/or easier. Maybe there was something I had missed doing my research. I might just put the girls in a box at night and bring them in the house. That's an excellent idea.

You're doing fine. In fact, the worst thing you are doing is worrying about it. You only need to oil their legs about once a week and it takes a month or so to really see the results. Veggie oil is fine. The idea is to drown the little vamps. The only thing you didn't mention is the roost. Here's what I would do. Get a big can of WD40 and spray the roost real good. Then, whatever is left in the can can be used to treat the birds legs. Just go out there in the dark, with a good flashlight and gently lift each bird high enough to expose their legs and spray their legs a good coat. Do it once a week til the can is empty and then set back and wait for the scales to rejuvinate. It'll happen, don't fret it.........Pop

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

Honestly, the Scaley Leg Mites and Tapeworms have been the two hardest things to treat for me... and, the mite: Scaley Leg Mites as well as "comb mites" have both been successfully treated by spraying the thoroughly cleaned coop (with Permethrin spray from the feed store) -- along with Sevin Dust and Vaseline on the legs and bodies of the chickens.
I treated more than once.. sprayed the coop once in between treating twice with Sevin Dust and Vaseline on the legs.. now... I don't know how much it helped or didn't.. but, I also used RED KOTE.. with Scarlet Oil in it a couple of times on the legs, it didn't seem to work as well as just dusting the chickens and then putting Vaseline on their legs (or Vaseline with Poultry Dust mixed into it)... a few times before resorting to spraying the coop.
These Scaley Leg Mites have been a tough one for me.. and one hen seems to have them again.. so... keep an eye out.. watch for a resurgence of them a few weeks later.

 

[welasharon]

Honestly, the Scaley Leg Mites and Tapeworms have been the two hardest things to treat for me... and, the mite: Scaley Leg Mites as well as "comb mites" have both been successfully treated by spraying the thoroughly cleaned coop (with Permethrin spray from the feed store) -- along with Sevin Dust and Vaseline on the legs and bodies of the chickens.
I treated more than once.. sprayed the coop once in between treating twice with Sevin Dust and Vaseline on the legs.. now... I don't know how much it helped or didn't.. but, I also used RED KOTE.. with Scarlet Oil in it a couple of times on the legs, it didn't seem to work as well as just dusting the chickens and then putting Vaseline on their legs (or Vaseline with Poultry Dust mixed into it)... a few times before resorting to spraying the coop.
These Scaley Leg Mites have been a tough one for me.. and one hen seems to have them again.. so... keep an eye out.. watch for a resurgence of them a few weeks later.

Wow! I wonder why they have been so hard for you to eliminate. That could drive you nuts! The birds I helped were not mine but once I saw how horrible they were I make a point of oiling mine about every six months...just in case.

 

[welasharon]

Now Pop, you know every chicken needs some good lap time.....LOL

You're doing fine. In fact, the worst thing you are doing is worrying about it. You only need to oil their legs about once a week and it takes a month or so to really see the results. Veggie oil is fine. The idea is to drown the little vamps. The only thing you didn't mention is the roost. Here's what I would do. Get a big can of WD40 and spray the roost real good. Then, whatever is left in the can can be used to treat the birds legs. Just go out there in the dark, with a good flashlight and gently lift each bird high enough to expose their legs and spray their legs a good coat. Do it once a week til the can is empty and then set back and wait for the scales to rejuvinate. It'll happen, don't fret it.........Pop