Scaly leg mites

[Gammond]

Yep I have a little but I have a lot of chickens. I will wait.

 

[CrazedCowgirl]

I acquired two new hens yesterday and I'm pretty sure one of them has scaly mites but I'm not sure as I've never dealt with them before. If someone could confirm if these Re scaly mites and if aquaphor or blue cote would work as a treatment it would be very much appreciated!

 

[lazy gardener]

Oh yes. For sure! Any kind of oil will kill them, but it will take repeated applications to be sure they are all dead. I do hope you have not put them in with your other birds yet. The last thing you want them to do is shed mites in your run/coop. You may also need to treat them for mites and lice. Knowing that they have SLM, I'd automatically dust them for mites/lice. B/C if the previous owner did not treat them for SLM which is an easy fix, and one can look at a bird from a distance and know that they have them, how much more likely that the owner wouldn't treat for mites/lice that are not evident unless you actually look for them. I'd use a permethrin product for mites/lice, and do a repeated oil treatment weekly for the SLM. It will take quite a while for the leg issue to clear, as all mites that continue to hatch will need to be suffocated by the oil treatment, and it takes a while for new scales to replace the nasty old scales. Do a thread search re: SLM and mites/lice so you will know what you are looking for when you inspect the birds.

 

[Gammond]

I just talked to the BC poultry specialist, and he said dipping their legs on oil works great. Hold them in for 30 seconds or so. He said the mites spread slowly and don't live in the coop, just the legs under the scales. So multiple applications should work fine. Try once per week for 3 weeks and see how it goes. My girls are looking way better now.

 

[CrazedCowgirl]

Oh yes. For sure! Any kind of oil will kill them, but it will take repeated applications to be sure they are all dead. I do hope you have not put them in with your other birds yet. The last thing you want them to do is shed mites in your run/coop. You may also need to treat them for mites and lice. Knowing that they have SLM, I'd automatically dust them for mites/lice. B/C if the previous owner did not treat them for SLM which is an easy fix, and one can look at a bird from a distance and know that they have them, how much more likely that the owner wouldn't treat for mites/lice that are not evident unless you actually look for them. I'd use a permethrin product for mites/lice, and do a repeated oil treatment weekly for the SLM. It will take quite a while for the leg issue to clear, as all mites that continue to hatch will need to be suffocated by the oil treatment, and it takes a while for new scales to replace the nasty old scales. Do a thread search re: SLM and mites/lice so you will know what you are looking for when you inspect the birds.

I ducted everyone with DE/Wood ash last night when we got home before putting them in quarantine. Both hens look like they just got done molting for the winter but I wanted to make sure. I'll start oiling the EE's legs tomorrow and hopefully they'll be gone soon!

Thank you!

 

[aart]

Quote: The DE/Wood ash won't do much to eradicate an infestation of lice/mites on the body.
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?
Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.
Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).
Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.
Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

ETA: Here's a good product and advice to use in warmer weather/climates to get rid of lice and mites.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134783/permethrin-spray

The leg mites might be easily killed with oil suffocation, and you might see some improvement in appearance soon, but it can take weeks if not months for new healthy leg scales to grow in, as LG mentioned, so be patient.

How old is that bird?