Scaly leg mites?

[ShrekDawg]

So one of my chickens has had weird looking legs a little bit, maybe like a month or two? I feel like it could have been longer than 2 months, it's been a long time, and I wasn't sure of it was mites or just how chicken legs look. I decided it was just how chickens look because chickens do have scales and everyone else was normal.

Well then one other started looking like it a teeny bit too.

I just noticed another one, all 3 of whom have always had normal legs even when the others didn't, seems to be a little off too.

Now before anyone calls me a bad flock owner or anything, like I said I just assumed it was normal chicken legs because I have never had chickens. And then when I was suspecting, I have been too busy to ask. Plus they all act 100% healthy and all lay perfect fine.

I am going to go get pictures but the scales are like BARELY lifted up on some of the chickens and I don't see any crust. They don't look like pictures of scaley leg mites I have seen and are BARELY lifted, so slight I don't even know if it could be considered leg mites. Hence why I never did anything.

And if it was wouldn't it have progressed at all and gotten worse??? She hasn't changed.

But would it hurt to treat it? How do I do that? I read an article on leg injuries on here once and that was on it but I cannot find it now and haven't been able to. I've been looking. From what I remember though it said something about petroleum jelly to smother them then washing with Epsom salt to rinse them off? Is that right? Do I do both? Or just one? Or neither? Or?

And like I said, I wasn't sure if it was or not and they act fine and so I've been meaning to ask and to treat it if it is for a while but I forget because she acts fine.

 

[MrRodgers]

The exact same thing happened to me a few months ago. I get full grown chickens instead of raising them as chicks and one of the ones I got had extra scaley legs. Didn't think much of it since she seemed fine and laid eggs like normal. After about 5 months of owning her, she got progressively worse what seemed like overnight. Doing the research then and found out she had scaley leg mites and that it's contagious to other chickens. Sure enough, my other chicken started to show the same thing.
Here's what I did: washed both chicken's legs with warm water and dish soap. After drying off the legs, rub on Vaseline on the legs. Yes, Vaseline. Crazy, but it worked! Well almost. The chicken that had it initially passed away. She was too far gone after having it for 6+ months. But the other chicken made full recovery and is in perfect health now. Do this once every few days until their legs are back to normal.

Also, clean out their coop after you clean their legs and sprinkle diatomaceous earth all over to kill/prevent future bugs.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Okay got some video and pictures.

ETA it won't let me post them trying again

 

[ShrekDawg]

The exact same thing happened to me a few months ago. I get full grown chickens instead of raising them as chicks and one of the ones I got had extra scaley legs. Didn't think much of it since she seemed fine and laid eggs like normal. After about 5 months of owning her, she got progressively worse what seemed like overnight. Doing the research then and found out she had scaley leg mites and that it's contagious to other chickens. Sure enough, my other chicken started to show the same thing.
Here's what I did: washed both chicken's legs with warm water and dish soap. After drying off the legs, rub on Vaseline on the legs. Yes, Vaseline. Crazy, but it worked! Well almost. The chicken that had it initially passed away. She was too far gone after having it for 6+ months. But the other chicken made full recovery and is in perfect health now. Do this once every few days until their legs are back to normal.

Also, clean out their coop after you clean their legs and sprinkle diatomaceous earth all over to kill/prevent future bugs.

Thank you!!!

I think I will try all that!

I hope she doesn't pass away though as is she is one of my favorites and I have noticed she seems worse than I remember. Acting fine but I didn't relaize it was so bad.

And the weird thing is I have been using DE. I stopped recently since I heard it could be bad but I was like obsessive about it. DE in the wet spots in the run. DE in the coop and neat boxes. DE after emptying coop out. Even rubbed it in walls and on cracks. Added it anytime anyone acted even a tiny bit weird. So I am surprised anything survived

 

[ShrekDawg]

Don't know if the pictures will work but here's a video I took. It might be better anyway since they kept moving and also were scared of the camera/hand moving towarsds them so hard to get good pictures haha

May the Barred Rock is the one who originally had it. Diva and Bunny the Easter Eggers got it next I think maybe? The Australorps I think are still normal and the Orpingtons? Unless maybe it is in almost the whole flock and I am just oblivious?

[VIDEO]