Scaly leg mites! I've tried everything!!

[awheel11]

Over a month ago I noticed scales lifting up on my chickens' legs. It was scaly leg mites, and I immediately went into action after reading some forums on it. I have:

Completely cleaned the coop: powerwashed, scrubbed, sprayed with mite spray, and disinfected

Covered legs with vaseline every couple days for weeks

Sprayed coop again

Finally treated with ivermectin following dosage instructions on here

Dunked legs in cooking oil

The coop is usually pretty clean anyways, I think the sparrows and robins have brought these mites in

And there are still scales lifting!! I have 30 chickens, although extremely tame ones, I can't be covering their legs with vaseline much longer! We're all getting sick of it! 7 of these are chicks and it is killing me to see scales lifting up on the babies. I don't want my birds suffering any discomfort. Does anyone have a way I can FINALLY be free of these mites??

 

[Highlander]

I'm no help unfortunately but I do share your pain. I am constantly battling mites and am having a hell of a time with scaly leg just now too. I've tried all sorts as well, including WD40, oil, ivermectin, vaseline etc but some of my chooks still have bad legs. I will be watching this thread with interest. Is it the feather-legged ones that are affected by any chance?

 

[awheel11]

I have both feather legged and clean legged and they're all affected. But the feather legged ones are the hardest to try to get rid of it with! The vaseling and oils are making a complete mess out of their feathers

 

[chicmom]

I have a tip for you that I learned from a good friend. Mix some Sevin Dust in with the vasceline and apply it to the legs twice daily.....

 

[awheel11]

thanks chicmom. I've actually added liquid sevins dust to the cooking oil i've been dunking their legs in. Do you suppose that is helping? Maybe i'll just have to do it more often.

 

[chkn]

A lady down at the feed store recommended Scarlet Oil for the leg mites. She provided me with a spray top or you can find a spray top if the bottle doesn't have one and just cut the spray tube (straw) a little if necessary to make it fit in the bottle.

I thought this lady had a good plan, spray all over (except the head) with Adams Flea Spray and then spray the legs with Scarlet Oil (also called Scarlet Oil Wound Dressing).

http://chickenstribe.tribe.net/thread/63c75a40-8d26-4f13-8cbb-8d8894578812

I think it helped my rooster quite a bit. Some people also recommended Pam Cooking Spray which I think is helpful. Anything in a spray bottle will make it alot easier. You can even get them when they're sitting up in their roosts. Keep in mind the Scarlet Oil has a red tint and will make the legs reddish. From what I hear they put that stuff on show roosters so they have the nice red legs.

 

[chicmom]

Hey, Aw.....I don't see how the cooking oil would stay on long enough to "smother them" like the vasceline would.......I'm no expert, but it just makes sense to me that the vasceline is thicker and clings better.

 

[MsNibbles]

The BEST BEST BEST BEST thing for Scaley Leg Mites is
Campho-Phenique.
You can buy Campho-Phenique at any drugstore.
Just put some drops on your chicken's feet every couple of days and those mites will disapear!!!!

Here is a dollar off coupon:
http://campho.com/

 

[MsNibbles]

Make sure you purchase the Campho Pain Liquid
It works incredible!!
We tried everything and it's the easiest thing and works quickly, I PROMISE!!!!

http://campho.com/pain_liquid.html

 

[sourland]

Could you post a picture of the problem? Since it's not responding to your treatments, maybe it is another problem. How long have you been carrying out the treatment? For a while after the mites have been killed the physical problems they have caused will remain. Did you treat several times with the Ivermectin to assure killing all mites and any eggs that hatched?