Why are my roosters feet like this

[Chickenguy1904]

I’m pretty sure he’s a black copper marran bantam mix but
His feet are weird and I don’t know why might have something to do with the breed

 

[EggSighted4Life]

More on your research source later.

I usually use merck vet manual for myself.. but sometimes reference a dumbed down source if you will forgive the use of that expression to make communication easier..

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/ectoparasites/mites-of-poultry

The Merck manual does indicate that the SLM can be transmitted by contact so MAYBE they do come to the surface to be effected by the permethrin. But it also states.. to spray premises and treat the bird with ivermectin or sulphur solution, the follow is quoted from the link above..

"For control, affected birds should be culled or isolated, and houses should be cleaned and sprayed frequently, as recommended for the poultry red mite. Individual birds should be treated with oral or topical ivermectin or moxidectin (0.2 mg/kg), 10% sulphur solution, or 0.5% sodium fluoride."

So your effective SLM treatment was with permethrin only or also the use of vaseline?

The previous reasoning for inefficacy being the same reason it was considered ineffective against depluming mites is they may not ever come to the surface.

Permethin applied specifically.. is even effective even against termites. Some areas have seen over use and reduced efficacy like with anything else (including Ivermectin and even spinoasad).. it (permethrin) worked really well at controlling chicken lice/mires for me.. but won't touch flea populations on my dogs (brought by a visitor), neither would Frontline which worked well in my previous locations.. requiring use of more expensive prescription drugs.

While we're on this topic.. I wish to mention that Permethrin is NOT safe for use on cats. I still use it despite having cats.. just making sure it's dried completely before they approach and not on their stuff.

I always appreciate a valid and informational discussion.. I'm here to share and to learn not to be right.. and boy how my understanding (and practice) has changed through out the years.

One final statement.. I don't prefer to use Ivermectin on my birds as it is off label, egg withdrawal times are not well studied, and all the blah blah blah.. where as the permethrin is labeled for use in poultry with NO egg withdrawal time.

Something funny.. a post from you and other on this exact subject ..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/permethrin-spray-for-scaly-leg-mites.1320760/

Regarding resources.. I also often use the state University stuff noting it doesn't always reflect real life experience.. this one is Iowa's..

https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/15670.pdf

I value personal experience to! it turns out the authorities and other powers that be don't always give us entirely accurate or valid information, thank you for sharing and questioning!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

An alternative is to get a Permethrin spray and spray his legs and feet. You'll need to do this again after 7 days as well.

Permethrin is not considered effective against SLM according to my research.

Ivermectin is effective but expensive unless you already have it on hand or able to get a small dose shared from other local livestock keepers.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/scaly-leg-mites-in-chickens/

thank you i’m taking the Vaseline approach for now

It works by suffocating them.

I haven't had SLM.. but my feather legged birds (especially roosters) did get some damage similar to the redness you have going on from feather mites or lice of some sort.. which WAS treated with the permethrin spray mentioned by the other poster.

He's handsome.. maybe a bantam Cochin cross if he's four toed.

 

[NatJ]

How do I trim over grow toe nails

Trim the ends with nail clippers. You can use the kind made for people, or the kind made for dogs and cats.

Chicken toenails have a quick in the middle, just like dog or cat nails.
If you cut into the quick, it hurts the animal and it bleeds.
Try to avoid cutting the quick, but do not panic if you do-- it will get better in a few days.

You can sometimes see the quick if you hold the foot up and let light shine through the nail. The quick is a darker part inside light-colored nails. You cannot see the quick in dark-colored nails.
For any nail color, you can just cut a bit off the end and hope for the best. That usually works well enough.

 

[Battlepants]

Looks like he's got some scaly leg mites going on. Never worked with those myself, but we have a good article to review here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/treating-scaly-leg-mites-slm-what-you-need-to-know.77376/

 

[Shadrach]

There isn’t much to see His leg is completely covered in feathers

Okay.
He may have mild Scaly Leg Mite. It can be a problem to treat with heavily feathered legs. Check where you can see by parting the feathers on his feet where any scales are and if they are raised from the scales below/leg.
Coating his feet, and any leg you can get at, with Vaseline will kill the live mites. You will have to do it again at least one more time after 7 days to kill any mites that hatch from the eggs.
An alternative is to get a Permethrin spray and spray his legs and feet. You'll need to do this again after 7 days as well.
His toenails are fine. It is best not to use clippers of any sort if you feel you must trim his toenails. Clippers, even sharp ones tend to create hairline fractures in the nail because the clippers don't fit the profile of the nail properly and closing the clippers deforms the nail. Use a nail file and round off the tips.

As a general rooster care tip, vaseline his legs on a regular basis, once a week say.

 

[Chickenguy1904]

Okay.
He may have mild Scaly Leg Mite. It can be a problem to treat with heavily feathered legs. Check where you can see by parting the feathers on his feet where any scales are and if they are raised from the scales below/leg.
Coating his feet, and any leg you can get at, with Vaseline will kill the live mites. You will have to do it again at least one more time after 7 days to kill any mites that hatch from the eggs.
An alternative is to get a Permethrin spray and spray his legs and feet. You'll need to do this again after 7 days as well.
His toenails are fine. It is best not to use clippers of any sort if you feel you must trim his toenails. Clippers, even sharp ones tend to create hairline fractures in the nail because the clippers don't fit the profile of the nail properly and closing the clippers deforms the nail. Use a nail file and round of the tips.

As a general rooster care tip, vaseline his legs on a regular basis, once a week say

thank you i’m taking the Vaseline approach for now until I can get some medicineThank you for all the help

 

[Shadrach]

Permethrin is not considered effective against SLM according to my research.

Ivermectin is effective but expensive unless you already have it on hand or able to get a small dose shared from other local livestock keepers.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/scaly-leg-mites-in-chickens/


It works by suffocating them.

I haven't had SLM.. but my feather legged birds (especially roosters) did get some damage similar to the redness you have going on from feather mites or lice of some sort.. which WAS treated with the permethrin spray mentioned by the other poster.

He's handsome.. maybe a bantam Cochin cross if he's four toed.

Hmmm, I'm on my way to the ex battery hens I look after and using a mobile phone to type this which I detest doing. I've recently treated two cases of SLM with permethrin and it worked. More on your research source later.

 

[Shadrach]

I usually use merck vet manual for myself.. but sometimes reference a dumbed down source if you will forgive the use of that expression to make communication easier..

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/ectoparasites/mites-of-poultry

The Merck manual does indicate that the SLM can be transmitted by contact so MAYBE they do come to the surface to be effected by the permethrin. But it also states.. to spray premises and treat the bird with ivermectin or sulphur solution, the follow is quoted from the link above..

"For control, affected birds should be culled or isolated, and houses should be cleaned and sprayed frequently, as recommended for the poultry red mite. Individual birds should be treated with oral or topical ivermectin or moxidectin (0.2 mg/kg), 10% sulphur solution, or 0.5% sodium fluoride."

So your effective SLM treatment was with permethrin only or also the use of vaseline?

The previous reasoning for inefficacy being the same reason it was considered ineffective against depluming mites is they may not ever come to the surface.

Permethin applied specifically.. is even effective even against termites. Some areas have seen over use and reduced efficacy like with anything else (including Ivermectin and even spinoasad).. it (permethrin) worked really well at controlling chicken lice/mires for me.. but won't touch flea populations on my dogs (brought by a visitor), neither would Frontline which worked well in my previous locations.. requiring use of more expensive prescription drugs.

While we're on this topic.. I wish to mention that Permethrin is NOT safe for use on cats. I still use it despite having cats.. just making sure it's dried completely before they approach and not on their stuff.

I always appreciate a valid and informational discussion.. I'm here to share and to learn not to be right.. and boy how my understanding (and practice) has changed through out the years.

One final statement.. I don't prefer to use Ivermectin on my birds as it is off label, egg withdrawal times are not well studied, and all the blah blah blah.. where as the permethrin is labeled for use in poultry with NO egg withdrawal time.

Something funny.. a post from you and other on this exact subject ..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/permethrin-spray-for-scaly-leg-mites.1320760/

Regarding resources.. I also often use the state University stuff noting it doesn't always reflect real life experience.. this one is Iowa's..

https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/15670.pdf

I value personal experience to! it turns out the authorities and other powers that be don't always give us entirely accurate or valid information, thank you for sharing and questioning!

I try to give advice/opinion that is relevant to the problem of the OP. In this case, I asked for a picture of the whole leg. Apparently the leg is feathered.
Unfortunately there are different degrees of feathering. With some breeds you can have enough feathers on legs and feet to make Vaseline an impractical option. Some feathered legs have some scale growth between the feathers (Marans for example) others the feather growth is so dense no scales grow under the feathers.
Vaseline isn't likely to be an effective treatment on a feathered leg.

Permethrine.
The high knock down rate of Permethrine relies of the mite coming into contact with the Permethrine. Permethrin will kill SLM. A further complication is the different strengths and carrier liquids in the various brands.
Permethrine sprayed on a leg which is vertical the majority of the day will drip downwards over the scales and away from the mites. Careful spraying of a foot which is mostly horizontal stands a better chance of being effective.
So in this case (feathered legs) Permethrine would seem a reasonable option.
In the thread I posted on which you've linked to this is the important bit

Will spraying chickens' legs with a permethrin spray kill scaly leg mites?

"No. Or at least not the way most people would apply it."

So how the Permethrine is applied has a marked impact on how effective it will be as does the severity of the infestation. A fine spray directed underneath the scales on a leg where the infestation is not severe is likely to work. On this thread the problem is minor and on the foot which makes the probability of Permethrine working higher.

Vegetable and Mineral oils.
Spray.
Effectiveness depends in part on the viscosity of the oil and it's application. Oils do not have any contact knock down ability. They rely on drowning the mites.
Even low viscosity oils will flow down the leg leaving air pockets under the scales which means the mites can still breath and therefore don't die. A fine spray is unlikely to achieve much more than sticky legs.
This is why a dip is prefered. You can keep the leg submerged in the oil and the mites will drown.

Deisel and Petrol.
Absoluutely horrified to read these products recommended on the Chicken Chicks site. Both are carcenogenic. Both often cause skin rash. Both leave a residual. Go and dip your forearm in a bucket of deisel and don't wash it off.

Rubbing Alcohol/Surgical Spirit
Some contact effectiveness. Antiseptic. Fast evaporation rate. Close to zero residual. Reusable.
My preference for a dip.

Iodine and Petroleum Jelly mix.
My overall prefered treatment. I mix 25% Iodine.
If you get a thick coating on the entire leg (a soft application brush works well such as a shaving brush) it's highly effective.
Petroleum jelly has a very high viscosity and it isn't soluble in water. Correctly applied it wil stay where you put it for long enough to suffocate the mites.
The Iodine acts as an anti fungal agent as well as an antiseptic.

Permethrin Dust.
Not suitable for SLM.

There's more including some pictures which I will post later.
I'm going to put a lot of information on this thread (I hope the OP doesn't object?) and combine the lot as a bookmarked page so I don't have to type it out again!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I try to give advice/opinion that is relevant to the problem of the OP.

Did I not also do the same?

I can't see telling the average backyard keeper to kill their birds if they've got a case of SLM going down well

Poultry dvm might as well be a quack show.

Again I didn't recommend culling or reference the source for the average backyard keeper.. but did relay the relative information.

much of the medication advised isn't available easily to the backyard keeper and there is the expense to consider.

In the US. I bought the Ivermectin at TSC over the counter.

Vet bills, medication etc should be factored into the operational costs. This rarely happens with backyard keepers.

Who's fault is that? That's very basic, we must all consider it.

I also suggested ways of contacting other local animal keepers to get enough dose. Having previously kept goats, and still mini pigs and other locals having sheep, lamas, cows and more.. Ivermectin is a common place item. But also why I always try to identify the OP's location first.

Most recommend isolation for just about every problem.

I almost always recommend against isolation.

Anyways put myself or any resource I've used on trial and there will be holes.. because there is NO perfect solution for everyone across the board.. Hence here to share our experiences or so I thought.

My take away... permethrin might be effective regarding slm if applied correctly. Ivermectin, probably same story.. Use what's available to you and within your resources and appears to be effective for your current contention.

Best wishes fellow keeper's!