scaly leg mites, cochins, and avoiding poison

[lalaland]

I've a few cochins and one mixed heavy breed hen bought from a farmer down the road a couple of months ago. (Yes, I did quarantine). Now that they are used to me and allow me to handle them, I'm realizing that they must have scaly leg mites - searched posts on this topic, and here (finally) are my questions:

1.Someone suggested using tea tree oil - which comes in 100% which is very very strong. Anyone know if I should use it straight on the hens?

2.I'm not clear whether I'm supposed to be smothering the mites or dislodging them by brushing the legs.

3.With the cochins, how the heck do you handle the scraggly feathers?

4. will these mites spread to my other hens and rooster?

Whatever I do, it is 20 below outside and maybe 25-30 inside the coop, so bathing is not an option for a couple of months at least.
I prefer not to use insecticides/pesticides etc -

 

[silkiechicken]

Not sure on the tea tree oil.

You want to smother the mites. I don't think you can brush them out without physically removing the scales on the legs.

For feathered legs, probably just lather on the oil coating them all.

If they are in quarentine, you always went from your birds to the new ones, and there is no possible contact, you may be safe. However, if they are near each other, might as well treat them all as they can get it.

Bathing won't do anything for scaly leg mites. They are well under those scales so don't worry about the needing to part.

 

[onthespot]

I just found some on my cochins yesterday, and they are in a pen within a pen with my marans. I went down to the drug store and bought a big jar of Vaseline and massaged it into every feathered and non-feathered leg in the area, pullets, roos, hens, with the exception of a single mixed broody setting on eight marans eggs. I didn't want to get grease on the eggs and smother them. I will take my chances, or re-treat after the eggs hatch, which should only be in a week or so.

 

[lalaland]

thanks, this is helpful

After i treat with either vaseline or tea tree oil, do I need to retreat? after how long?

 

[wasatusay]

I rub Vet Rx on their legs when the cowbirds show up in the spring and have never had a problem with leg mites. Three hens I did get from a friend years back did have leg mites and using Vet Rx for about a week or two (memory not so good) and I have never had a problem with them. Just watch for the spring birds, mainly, cowbirds, black birds they seem to be the carriers here in the South East. I swear Vet Rx is some good Mojo for a lot of things.

 

[onthespot]

I plan to do mine once a week for maybe three weeks. No one told me to, that is just my plan. i imagine there are mites around the run. This will give them a chance to climb on the birds and get killed off. I do not know the life cycle of the leg mites. Could be they have laid eggs and those will not hatch until spring, which means I get to do it all over again when temps go up.

 

[BrackenFarms]

I know you said you did not want to use a pesticide But......................... I also recently purchased a pullet with scaly mites and I was told to make a mixture of Vaseline and malathion powder. I just mix it in a plastic cup until I get sort of a thick peanut butter look. And then i lather it on her legs. I have already done this once, a week ago and I just did another application today actually. And she looks to be halfway cured. Before the second application i did try to knock off any loose scales with my finger but be careful becasue some are still attached well
Yes, you need to smother the mites which is what you are doing with the vaseline. It works well because it is waterproof. And for that extra punch the malathion kills the mites. you can get it at your local feed and seed store or possibly in lawn & garden at walmart. She seemed to loved the foot massage today. She must not mind the malathion cause she still loves for me to hold her. As far as frequency of application i did once a week. If you want to do it twice a week your chick will be fine. And no need to clean legs in between applications. Hope this helps

 

[mainchick]

I agree with the vaseline treatment. repeat once a week for 3 weeks seems to do it.

 

[lalaland]

thanks for the help - I used to be on BYC years ago, and I sure enjoy everyone's willingness to share their knowledge.
Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Happy Hanukah, and Happy Kwanza to all!

 

[TurtleChick]

i also read somewhere that tea tree oil in too-high concentrations was toxic... can't remember where i read it. might do a search on it to make sure if that's what you were going to use. the "rooster booster pick-no-more-lotion" that i use on wounds/feather picked areas has tea tree oil in it, but it's a tiny percentage (just looked, it's 0.54%). so!

good luck!