Scaly Leg Mite Aftermath

[MadamPoofyBrow]

Hey everybody! So...my flock got scaly leg mites. This was not the first time I’ve dealt with it, so I just did what I always do. Got some petroleum jelly, smothered their legs, and repeated each night when they roosted. (Plus coop cleaning, but the jelly is all I did to the birds themselves) The wounds healed and the mites died. Just like every other time. And then, their scales fell off.
A few kept all of their scales. Some are kind of patchy. Some have barely any scales at all. This has never happened before.
The mites are gone - but they took the scales with them.
So I’ve got three questions:
1) Has anyone else had this happen?
2) Will the scales grow back?
3) Is there anything I can do to make their legs more comfortable in the meantime?

Thank y’all in advance!

 

[cmom]

Usually when they molt the scales will come off from my experience.

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

Usually when they molt the scales will come off from my experience.

That's interesting, I've never had that happen before. I hope that is all it is.

 

[cmom]

My birds never actually had them but a neighbor's did. I treated her birds and that is what happened with them.

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

My birds never actually had them but a neighbor's did. I treated her birds and that is what happened with them.

Thank you! That makes me feel better. Did they grow back?

 

[Lisa3315]

I just read about this last night in Storey's Guide to Raising Backyard Chickens! They recommend soaking the legs in soapy water and gently scraping/rubbing off the softened dead scales then smothering the mites by covering the legs in petroleum jelly daily for two weeks or until the mites or gone. So it seems like it's okay the leg scales came off