Scaly Leg Mites - Need Best / Easiest / Quickest Solution - Scaley

[LaLa Chickie]

 

[Zwoc]

Thanks, I will start treating my birds. Trying to keep them healthier and happy

 

[Beekissed]

Vaseline works for the scaley leg mites as well. We had 1 hen come down with a case of them last summer, we coated her legs with the Vaseline and she almost seemed to have some immediate relief. We repeated after 2 weeks and her legs looked fantastic a month later, new scales clean and soft looking. I don't know how much castor oil costs, but we get the big tub of Petroleum Jelly from the dollar store for a buck or two.

Yep...Vaseline often works if you catch the scale mites early and it's a light, recent infestation. Castor oil is more expensive than Vaseline but ultimately more effective for treatment and prevention, especially with a long standing or recurrent infestation, I have found. And it's great for other things for chickens and the home as well, whereas Vaseline has just emollient properties for chickens and humans and not much else.

 

[SusieBuddy63]

My chickens had scale leg leg mites so bad I thought one of my hens was going to lose a toe. It was infected and swollen like a sausage! I have been applying castor oil every 2 weeks for 3 applications and now once a month as a preventative. Their feet look so much better now and the one hens toe is all back to normal :-D

 

[Beekissed]

That's another great thing about the castor oil over the petroleum jelly...it has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the ability to stimulate more blood flow to compromised areas and encourage scale and hair growth. It's just got more possibilities. Folks used it for frost bite this year and it prevented it, reversed damage in most cases and minimized damage in others that were too far gone by the time it was applied.

It also relieves joint pain...for the animals and humans alike. Just applied it to a meat bird's leg for some unknown injury that caused it to limp and not want to walk. By that evening it was up on its leg again and has been fine ever since. It helped my gimpy old rooster with the arthritis in his leg and it lasted a long, long time. It has also helped with the arthritis and injury in my spine as well...within minutes I have pain relief that lasts longer than an oral med.

Keep the Vaseline...I'd use it for dry elbows or something. I'll take the castor oil any day.

 

[149east]

Hi all, I'm pretty new to BYC but yes we brought four hens home about a month ago and one of them has this. We isolated her pronto, into her own shed. Since then I've been treating her almost every other night with Vaseline and/ or cooking oil. It's working, I can see new scales coming through on about 50% of the leg - but not quite as fast as some have made it sound. I've also tried dipping the legs in DE after the vaseline (kind of like greasing AND flouring a cake tin!). Apart from CO (which I'll go get tomorrow), does anybody here have experience with Sulphur? I tried asking for that at our (Australian) chemist today - she looked at me like I was bonkers! We have a small flock (8 birds), try to avoid any commercial insecticides if possible... Thanks so much everybody for your great ideas!!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hi all, I'm pretty new to BYC but yes we brought four hens home about a month ago and one of them has this.  We isolated her pronto, into her own shed.  Since then I've been treating her almost every other night with Vaseline and/ or cooking oil.  It's working, I can see new scales coming through on about 50% of the leg - but not quite as fast as some have made it sound. I've also tried dipping the legs in DE after the vaseline (kind of like greasing AND flouring a cake tin!).  Apart from CO (which I'll go get tomorrow), does anybody here have experience with Sulphur?  I tried asking for that at our (Australian) chemist today - she looked at me like I was bonkers!  We have a small flock (8 birds), try to avoid any commercial insecticides if possible...  Thanks so much everybody for your great ideas!!

Hello and
If you have a Horseland or similar near you they sell feed sulphur. I mixed it into the Vaseline and sprinkle around the nesting boxes. I also use Vicks vapour rub if the Vaseline is a bit slow to work.

 

[Naturalway]

That's another great thing about the castor oil over the petroleum jelly...it has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the ability to stimulate more blood flow to compromised areas and encourage scale and hair growth.  It's just got more possibilities.  Folks used it for frost bite this year and it prevented it, reversed damage in most cases and minimized damage in others that were too far gone by the time it was applied. 

It also relieves joint pain...for the animals and humans alike.  Just applied it to a meat bird's leg for some unknown injury that caused it to limp and not want to walk.  By that evening it was up on its leg again and has been fine ever since.  It helped my gimpy old rooster with the arthritis in his leg and it lasted a long, long time.  It has also helped with the arthritis and injury in my spine as well...within minutes I have pain relief that lasts longer than an oral med. 

Keep the Vaseline...I'd use it for dry elbows or something.  I'll take the castor oil any day. 

Hi there Bee!
I read over 95% of this thread yesterday and tonight on the way home from church we stopped and got 2 bottles of castor oil. Last week I started dunking chicken feet in used cooking oil. I did this every night for 4 or 5 nights and started running out of oil so I skipped a night and then resorted to Vaseline for one night. That brings us to tonight. I have coated all 42 feet in the castor oil. I must say though that their little feeties are looking better already. I just wanted to try the CO to put the hammer down on the nasties.
Tomorrow I will clean coop and spray with a fruit tree spray that has neem and pyrethrum. I will try to remember to update on the progress.
I would love to NOT have this hanging over my head! And have a healthy flock of chickies.
Thanks for the castor oil tip.

 

[MacKayla42]

We have two Bantam roosters and they both have mites in their feet. We tried soaking their feet in warm water, drying them off with a towel, and smearing vegetable oil all over their feet. Both roos were recently in a fight-they are father and son and we were expanding the run, and anyway kept them cooped up so the son started the fight, probably just questioning his place in "the pecking order" and whenever their together they spar. The son`s upper leg is red so we separated them, and then realized the "things" on their feet were mites. The father, the dominent and head of the roost, is totally fine now, but his son can barely walk, whenever he tries to groom his feathers on his belly he rolls over, and needs attention and treatment. Any suggestions other than rubbing coconut oil on his feet?

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

We have two Bantam roosters and they both have mites in their feet. We tried soaking their feet in warm water, drying them off with a towel, and smearing vegetable oil all over their feet. Both roos were recently in a fight-they are father and son and we were expanding the run, and anyway kept them cooped up so the son started the fight, probably just questioning his place in "the pecking order" and whenever their together they spar. The son`s upper leg is red so we separated them, and then realized the "things" on their feet were mites. The father, the dominent and head of the roost, is totally fine now, but his son can barely walk, whenever he tries to groom his feathers on his belly he rolls over, and needs attention and treatment. Any suggestions other than rubbing coconut oil on his feet?

Lube up those legs and feet with castor oil ! Do it about once every week or two until you notice healing.