Scaly leg mites? Or something else?

[EggSighted4Life]

But about a month ago, I started noticing pink and suspected he really did have mites and started treating. Nothing has changed except the color as the weather warms up..

His spurs still look smallish. Seems like it could be the red of hormones accentuating the look to this issue as he is maturing. And even once mature there seems to be hormonal fluctuations.

 

[sawilliams]

I was just thinking like like a Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment.

It's not uncommon for SLM to get worse doing wet seasons. The 2 years prior winter/spring was when I had to start treatment as well. Making sure the run has good drainage and they aren't walking in puddles helps

 

[renk777]

What about treating him with

His spurs still look smallish. Seems like it could be the red of hormones accentuating the look to this issue as he is maturing. And even once mature there seems to be hormonal fluctuations.

He was hatched last April...on the 8th, I believe....

 

[renk777]

I was just thinking like like a Neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment.

It's not uncommon for SLM to get worse doing wet seasons. The 2 years prior winter/spring was when I had to start treatment as well. Making sure the run has good drainage and they aren't walking in puddles helps

We've had a lot of precipitation. ..I've been on top of it with shavings and raking. Thinking of trying coconut coir....

 

[renk777]

Would Ivermectin help? Just in case? Dosage?

 

[sawilliams]

We've had a lot of precipitation. ..I've been on top of it with shavings and raking. Thinking of trying coconut coir....

Coconut oil would be a good start, super thin soothing and antibactial

 

[sawilliams]

Would Ivermectin help? Just in case? Dosage?

Really don't think you need those types of treatment at this piont without a secondary factor. To be honest some of my girls still have ugly legs from having to fight SLM last year. They rarely ever get fully back to normal

 

[Kat C]

I've been treating him for a month. Previously, I just kept an eye on it since the lifted scales didn't seem irritated and were near feathers...he's been this way since Autumn. It wasn't a fast change....just started noticing some lifted scales. I've checked other birds all throughout the winter and none displayed anything similar. But about a month ago, I started noticing pink and suspected he really did have mites and started treating. Nothing has changed except the color as the weather warms up...so I don't know if it's hormonal or warmer weather making mites more active...or both? What antibiotic do you recommend?

Maybe you have been over treating. I treat roosters with leg mites for about 1 week with petroleum jelly. If they started out with bad mites sometimes scales come off and some never regrow. Maybe you just need to lay off the treatment and see if the red goes away. If my guess is right he may never have normal scales but that is just cosmetic and doesn't hurt a bird. Neem may actually be irritating the legs. Being natural doesn't mean their are never any side effects. Poison mushrooms are after all natural but can kill you.
Petroleum Jelly smothers the mites and doesn't cause irritation. If they are thick under the scales it takes several treatments. After a few treatments I sometimes take a think stick and dig under the scales to get the goop (someone called it keratin) out so they can't hide from the jelly. I can't tell that the petroleum jelly has any negative effect...in fact I had one hen that tried to eat it when I put it on her Took some effort to keep her from taking a bite. After about the 2nd treatment I can tell the birds don't mind it that much - I think it feels good.
Here is another thread on the topic
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/scaly-leg-mites-natural-cure.755286/
Look at the pics here....how the leg looks varies a lot https://tinyurl.com/leg-mite-pics the manifestation of leg mites are quite varied.

 

[renk777]

I only treat every other week as per a tutorial I found online so I don't think it's over treating that's causing the red. But maybe I'll apply PJ every day for a week first to see if that smothers them. I don't see any goop under scales but some follicles seem to have a whitish substance inside. ..kind of like a feather-zit!

 

[renk777]

Maybe you have been over treating. I treat roosters with leg mites for about 1 week with petroleum jelly. If they started out with bad mites sometimes scales come off and some never regrow. Maybe you just need to lay off the treatment and see if the red goes away. If my guess is right he may never have normal scales but that is just cosmetic and doesn't hurt a bird. Neem may actually be irritating the legs. Being natural doesn't mean their are never any side effects. Poison mushrooms are after all natural but can kill you.
Petroleum Jelly smothers the mites and doesn't cause irritation. If they are thick under the scales it takes several treatments. After a few treatments I sometimes take a think stick and dig under the scales to get the goop (someone called it keratin) out so they can't hide from the jelly. I can't tell that the petroleum jelly has any negative effect...in fact I had one hen that tried to eat it when I put it on her Took some effort to keep her from taking a bite. After about the 2nd treatment I can tell the birds don't mind it that much - I think it feels good.
Here is another thread on the topic
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/scaly-leg-mites-natural-cure.755286/
Look at the pics here....how the leg looks varies a lot https://tinyurl.com/leg-mite-pics the manifestation of leg mites are quite varied.

I'll check out those links...thank you! <3