Scaly Leg Mites and Big Run

[Tinabuglaw]

So my coops are 4x4 and 6x8. The runs surrounding the two coopse are 12x75. We have been struggling on and off with scaly leg mites for a year and a half now! I don't know how to get rid of them! It seems as though as soon as we get control and the legs start to look smooth again, these things come back! With a vengeance! I've got 13 chickens in that run. Does anybody have any idea how to clean this out for good! We've tried the gasoline and Vaseline method! I'll never try that again! I dropped a few drops ended up having to excavate 8 ft in diameter and 4 ft down!

We've tried Vaseline and then we tried electric USC or whatever it's called. All of those methods worked but Nothing works permanently.

I feel really overwhelmed trying to clean the coops and the run well enough to get rid of these darn things! Any insight will help. I plan on raking today and cleaning out the coops and spring with elector again. Then spreading the chickens get with the elector and then Vaseline. The only way I seem to be able to keep these things away is to keep putting Vaseline on their feet!

Oh did I mention I have another six babies in a chicken tractor? I just don't want them to get infected so far they're doing well but at 3 months, they're ready to be integrated into this flock. I digress. Help!

 

[Eggcessive]

Do all of the chickens seem to have scaly leg mites? Do you have pictures? What type of bedding do you use? Have you check for regular mites and lice? I usually only see leg mites in older or more debilitated chickens who don’t dust bathe, and some donot seem to wear down their toenails. Usually, vaseline applied once or twice a week does the trick, but it needs to be continued for a few weeks or months. Castor oil, sold in large quantities online, and plain old shortening work well.
You might try ivermectin, since that can be used orally or the topical kind is put on the back of the neck over the spine. It is used twice 14 days apart.

 

[Tinabuglaw]

Do all of the chickens seem to have scaly leg mites? Do you have pictures? What type of bedding do you use? Have you check for regular mites and lice? I usually only see leg mites in older or more debilitated chickens who don’t dust bathe, and some donot seem to wear down their toenails. Usually, vaseline applied once or twice a week does the trick, but it needs to be continued for a few weeks or months. Castor oil, sold in large quantities online, and plain old shortening work well.
You might try ivermectin, since that can be used orally or the topical kind is put on the back of the neck over the spine. It is used twice 14 days apart.

Yes, it's definitely scaly leg mites. I've checked for other mites but there's nothing but beautiful white down.

 

[Tinabuglaw]

Do all of the chickens seem to have scaly leg mites? Do you have pictures? What type of bedding do you use? Have you check for regular mites and lice? I usually only see leg mites in older or more debilitated chickens who don’t dust bathe, and some donot seem to wear down their toenails. Usually, vaseline applied once or twice a week does the trick, but it needs to be continued for a few weeks or months. Castor oil, sold in large quantities online, and plain old shortening work well.
You might try ivermectin, since that can be used orally or the topical kind is put on the back of the neck over the spine. It is used twice 14 days apart.

Oh, and I use the thinnest wood chips, very thin and soft from the farm down the street.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

That’s what I think my hens have too. They’re not handlable ( they adopted us as adults), so I’m not sure how to treat them.

 

[Tinabuglaw]

That’s what I think my hens have too. They’re not handlable ( they adopted us as adults), so I’m not sure how to treat them.

 

[Tinabuglaw]

Just have you and your husband chase them around from opposite directions. Hold them firmly, holding the wings against their body. Make sure you hold their wings tightly against your body while your arm is around their belly. You cannot hold them near their feet, or they will spring right off of you. Have your husband put the remedy on. Off you have a lot of chickens, use for coloring to keep track of who got tested and who didn't. Use a different color if the original color faded away for the next treatment.