Silkie feet

[sawilliams]

Yes some dirt still accumulate with the oil you will needed to check and treat his feet every for a while usually 1-2 weeks or longer in severe cases. And yes with scaly leg mites and really any type of parasite if one has it they all have it. So you will needed to try to treat the others too.


Scaly leg mites is one of the most difficult to treat. They are microscopic parasites that live and breed under the scales causing the scales to protrude upward. You have to get as much dirt send debris it of the scales as possibly before treating. And becuase the mits are so small is easiest to smooth and suffocate them as most other treatments have limited or no effect.

I had a pretty severe case about this time last year and had been struggling with but controlling legmites for the year prior. It's a pita. Soaking is the best approach epsom salt for discomfort or blue dawn to ckean ants treat. Scrub the legs with a nail brush. Then dry and slather with oil. If they legs are mostly clean you can just apply oil over the next few days but if thier legs or dirty it in a really difficult case soaking again would be best.

Silky and other feather legged chickens are more prone to leg mites before the feathers grow from between the scales meaning then is already an opening there for the mites to live in.

 

[sawilliams]

Do silkie chicken feet usually require cleaning normally or do you think it’s possibly because he does like to hang out in a muddy area in the yard where the ducks are.
The coop is pretty clean and he free ranges. Are cutting of the nails also something that’s done. On one of his toes it curls in and it kind of looks like his nail might be stabbing his foot when he walks.. but it also just could have been how his feet where while I was holding him.

Like any animal if they dont have access to cement or rough rock the nails (and beaks for birds) can over grow. I feed all my chicken treats on a cement pad by the house so they scratch and file thier own nails

 

[sawilliams]

I did not quarantine him. How do I know if all the other chickens have what he has. And if I trim the feathers does that hurt them. How do I do it right.

Trimming feathers does not hurt. The pinning feathers when they are babies or after they molt are tender and young feathers do have blood in them. But once the feather is done growing the blood recedes and the feather like our hair is dead

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When I apply the oil to the feet. Won’t all the dirt stick to the oil and his feet once I let him outside again? And he has mites on his feet? Will then spread to my other chickens or could it have already?

You've received good suggestions from the others. To answer your questions,

yes...the dirt will stick to his feet that is why you would give him a clean-up as needed.

yes...he has mites on his feet/legs - they are called Scaly Leg Mites. They are microscopic and live underneath the scales of the legs. While feather footed birds do have slightly raised scales due to the feathers, your bird's scales are raised and crusty, he has a buildup of poop/dirt and what you will scrub out from under the scales will be mite poop too.

There is a possibility that SLM can be transmitted to your other birds. It's always best to quarantine any new bird you bring in that way you can evaluate and treat them for internal/external parasites, plus monitor them for any other diseases that they may have so you lessen transmission to your existing flock.

 

[snow5164]

I have had my silkies 3 years, my girls need nail trims once a year , the new rooster who hadn’t been taken care of need a total foot trim and his nails were very long ,

I’m going to put a patio stone in all my coops now , what a great idea!!

If you hold your silkies when you trim their faces ,take a look at their feet ,

They’re worth the work and they love to be held

 

[tjo804]

I just read this article you may find it helpful for trimming and understanding his nails. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...tices-how-to-do-so-why-and-preventions.64400/
Think dog nails chickens have a quick too.

Good luck with the leg mites. If he is in your coop, make sure you treat that also burn bedding if you can and I use seven dust in my coop then put new bedding down.

 

[tjo804]

Oh also on Silkie feet (feathered feet) I use a child's or soft bristle tooth brush it gets in without damaging the scales or feathers.

 

[Rosiecheeks]

Wow.. I soaked his feet for as long as he would let me and scrubbed them too then put vasaline.. after touching them and taking a closer look.. it seems like it’s a pretty bad case. I feel so bad I didn’t notice when he was first given to me.. I thought his feet were just dirty because his coop he was in seemed muddy.. if I soak and scrub his feet daily as well as putting vasaline will it get better? I was reading birds can loose there toes or die from this?

 

[sawilliams]

It

Wow.. I soaked his feet for as long as he would let me and scrubbed them too then put vasaline.. after touching them and taking a closer look.. it seems like it’s a pretty bad case. I feel so bad I didn’t notice when he was first given to me.. I thought his feet were just dirty because his coop he was in seemed muddy.. if I soak and scrub his feet daily as well as putting vasaline will it get better? I was reading birds can loose there toes or die from this?

Takes a while. You need to treat him for I think 2 weeks minimum. The scales won't be perfect but you will start to see improvement. Some of my girls a year later still have raised scales, I believe is becuase in the worst cases the scale root gets damaged too and the scale can never grow normal again. So don't worry if it's not perfect but expect it to take time. Treating everyone (at least just with vaseline) will help stop the spread and prevent him from getting re-infested while he heals

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would soak them over the course of several days working to get the hardened material off his feet.
Vaseline will help soften the scales, smother the mites and loosen some of that debris too. If at all possible, I would cage him and keep him on clean dry bedding or puppy pads until you can get the feet straightened out more.

Next time you soak and clean the feet, post some updated photos.