I just can't get rid of the scaly leg mites in my flock.. Its driving me mad more then the chickens!!!
None have it bad.. but most have uplifted scales and discoloured pale coloured legs.
I have been applying Vaseline at night to the feet, legs, and the roosts. They seem to get better, but a few weeks later it slowly comes back. Some birds never get batter at all, but don't get worse either.
I think I am doing something wrong. I apply the Vaseline each night for 5 days... then a couple of times a week for the next week or 2.
At the moment I noticed its come back.. and this time I want to get rid of it properly.
I can't get chemical treatment from the vets because I have about 40 birds and the cost of treating each one individually will be too much.
I want a cheap, easy and reliable way to get rid of the mites and please tell me how much to treat, what days and for how long.
Thanks.
Housing premises must be treated in addition to birds' legs and toes. If you examine grease versus oil, you will see the difference in the time it takes to penetrate. The mites causing scaly leg, Knemidokoptes mutans, are practically microscopic ( 0.5 mm) , and unless a product penetrates under scales, the mites survive and continue to cause the problem.
I treat roosts once a month with a spray or roost paint by use of an emulsified concentrate, containing either permethrin, rabon-vapona, or malathion. It is a good idea to stagger the use of insecticides to prevent resistance to one or the other. There are many insecticides labeled for safe use on and around poultry, so it is important to pay attention to labels.
Moist areas such as wood piles are an opportunistic home for Knemidokoptes mites. The same with wild bird nesting areas, or areas where wild birds congregate. If chickens can be prevented from visiting certain areas where wild bird species frequent, the chances of contracting mites is less. Since we cannot run around spraying everything in the outside environment, it is wise to develop a program of premise treatment in the housing of poultry. People who do not clean out their coops on a regular basis experience increased mite populations among other pests. Cleaning means removing litter and dust, disinfecting floors, roosts, nest boxes, etc., then applying a residual pesticide. After the product applied has dried, new shavings are introduced, and birds can return to having access to the coop. I do this 3-4 times a year, and have witnessed the benefits of doing so over a long period of time. I schedule it so that just before the worst weather of Winter is upon us, those coops are treated since mites pine for survival in warm, protected environments where a food source exists. I do it again is early Spring, and again in Summer.
Nustock
http://www.nustock.com/ is a product I use that is effective for topical application of birds' legs and feet. Since it is the consistency of a paste, I prefer to mix enough oil to thin it to the consistency of a paint, and keep it in a capped container. I use Jojoba oil, but mineral oil can work too. I wear nitrile gloves and pick up each bird off the roost at night while wearing a headlamp. They are calm at night, and this is also an opportunity to examine the vent, and between feathers along the body for any other possible ectoparasites. I apply the paint to the legs by massaging it against the direction of scales so it penetrates underneath them. The entire leg and toes must be treated thoroughly, then the bird can be placed back on the roost. Depending on the condition of scales determines much. Instances where the problem is advanced may require actually brushing the legs clean with a soap/water solution to remove dried exudate that forms on legs from an infestation, allowing legs to dry, then applying the topical solution. That happens in cases where long periods of neglect have happened. After that, regular treatment of legs as I mentioned above will eventually remedy the problem. Treatments of 2-4 times a week have been sufficient for my birds. Regular treatment of legs that just appear dry, can take place once every couple weeks. Older birds are more susceptible to scaly leg mites than younger birds.
