Scaly feet

[Taylermartin]

This is my brahma's feet, they have looked like this since I got her 2 years ago. She is approximately 4 years old. I hadn't ever thought anything about her feet until I was reading about mites and leg lice. I haven't ever seen anything crawling on or around any of my chickens. Could this be normal for her?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

No this is not normal. She has scaly leg mite. A burrowing mite that feeds on the blood and cells in the scales.

At this severe stage, I would go straight to the Ivermectin pour on (1% solution, 5mg per ml). You should be able to get that at a feed store. Generally at a Brahma size, I should think 1/2 ml would be a good dosage. Repeat in 10 days.

Otherwise, you *can* try to coat with vaseline and starve the mites. You have to apply almost daily and continue for several weeks (even several months). But with leg feathering, that makes that treatment hard to apply.

Ivermectin is my suggestion.

LofMc

 

[Taylermartin]

No this is not normal. She has scaly leg mite. A burrowing mite that feeds on the blood and cells in the scales.

At this severe stage, I would go straight to the Ivermectin pour on (1% solution, 5mg per ml). You should be able to get that at a feed store. Generally at a Brahma size, I should think 1/2 ml would be a good dosage. Repeat in 10 days.

Otherwise, you *can* try to coat with vaseline and starve the mites. You have to apply almost daily and continue for several weeks (even several months). But with leg feathering, that makes that treatment hard to apply.

Ivermectin is my suggestion.

LofMc

Is this what you're referring to? Do you directly apply it to the feet or soak then rinse? Do I need to treat all my flock?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yes. That's it.

You take 1/2 ml for the Brahma (get a marked syringe) and place at base of neck at skin level. It will enter the system and rid your Brahma from scaly leg mite, any northern mites, and a number of internal worms (round especially).

As long as you haven't overused Ivermectin in your area to build up resistance, I find it works really well as a general parasite removal.

You will need to repeat in 10 to 14 days. Then reassess. For severe cases you may need a third or fourth treatment.

As to treating others...it is almost assured you have another bird or two that has it as the mites spread from bird to bird. You may also want to clean your coop, however scaly leg mites stay on the bird rather than in the coop, but a good cleaning of litter and dirty corners would be in order.

I find it easy to treat my flock with Ivermectin. I go out at night while they are roosting. I get a bunch of syringes, pre-fill to the appropriate amount (which rounded for dosing ease is about 1/4 ml for smaller birds, 1/2 ml for larger birds like your Brahma). I fill and put the syringes in my chicken coat pockets, then I literally go through squirting med at the base of the neck or the base of the vent or even in between the wings on the back. Wherever I can access skin level without disrupting the flock. Just be sure to make it to skin level. I can get through my flock of 20 to 24 birds in a matter of 15 minutes or less this way.

There are other ways to treat scaly leg mites, as stated before, but with severe infestations, which your bird has, and with the leg feathering, I think you will find Ivermectin the most effective and less messy.

LofMc

 

[Taylermartin]

Yes. That's it.

You take 1/2 ml for the Brahma (get a marked syringe) and place at base of neck at skin level. It will enter the system and rid your Brahma from scaly leg mite, any northern mites, and a number of internal worms (round especially).

As long as you haven't overused Ivermectin in your area to build up resistance, I find it works really well as a general parasite removal.

You will need to repeat in 10 to 14 days. Then reassess. For severe cases you may need a third or fourth treatment.

As to treating others...it is almost assured you have another bird or two that has it as the mites spread from bird to bird. You may also want to clean your coop, however scaly leg mites stay on the bird rather than in the coop, but a good cleaning of litter and dirty corners would be in order.

I find it easy to treat my flock with Ivermectin. I go out at night while they are roosting. I get a bunch of syringes, pre-fill to the appropriate amount (which rounded for dosing ease is about 1/4 ml for smaller birds, 1/2 ml for larger birds like your Brahma). I fill and put the syringes in my chicken coat pockets, then I literally go through squirting med at the base of the neck or the base of the vent or even in between the wings on the back. Wherever I can access skin level without disrupting the flock. Just be sure to make it to skin level. I can get through my flock of 20 to 24 birds in a matter of 15 minutes or less this way.

There are other ways to treat scaly leg mites, as stated before, but with severe infestations, which your bird has, and with the leg feathering, I think you will find Ivermectin the most effective and less messy.

LofMc

That is very helpful! Thank you! Do I need to discard eggs? If so, for how long?