# Scaly leg



## atuzik (Jun 27, 2012)

I believe my chickens have scaly leg. The scales on their legs are lifted up (some chickens have it worse than others). I've tried dunking their feet in oil for a few days in a row, but I'm not sure if that helped. Does anyone have any tips on how to get rid of them, or know what this means for the chickens? Thanks!


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

I've used Frontline spray (flea and tick treatment for digs and cats) on chickens before. It's safe and works well for lice and mites. I would spray all their legs wait a week and them do it again. That should take care of any mites. If its not mites, I suggest getting dust for dust baths, and adding flax seed to their diet. Omega FA are great for skin (and also good for you in the eggs) but souls help heal any issues with their feet. Scaley mites also go to the beak sometimes. Are you seeing any changes on their heads?


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## Tony-O (Jul 19, 2012)

Oil works by smothering them and the egg under the scale. Been using used motor oil for years here. It works for me. Now, don't expect it to disappear over night. It took time to develop and will take some time for the legs to become smooth again.


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## Homegirl (Aug 6, 2012)

I tried smearing vaseline on their legs, but did not do the job. I am using Manna Pro Poultry Scaly leg mite spray. Everyone hates it and turns their backs on me so it is hard to get on. I may have to try the motor oil trick...I also tried spraying with mineral oil but it won't spray...


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

That's a good time to use Ivomec.


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

Scaly leg mites can be treated by a simple treatment of vaselineon on the bird’s legs so that the mites cannot breath ... Red mites on the other hand need to be treated with a sulphur powder. (IMO ) Again a wood ash for the birds to dust in works wonders. (make sure they are cold ashes.)

Also when mites are present it is very important to clean the coop/run very well. I would use vinegar/water but if they are "bad" bleach/water. Do this on a day when the chicken can be outdoors most of the day. 

One more thing if you use a pesticide ... I would feed the eggs to the dogs/cats for 7 ta 10 days. 

But that is just me ...


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## Homegirl (Aug 6, 2012)

Andi, would there be a different presentation with red mites as compared to scaley leg mites? My girls' scales are raised.


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

If it is only the legs I would go with scaly mites ... Wash shanks and rub with vaseline, salad oil or baby oil. This needs to be done weekly for 6 ta 7 weeks.

Red mites are only red after they feed. You can check around the perches, the mites come out at night and crawl up the chickens legs to feed. 

Hope this helps ...


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Or you can dose with ivomec once topically 0.2 mg/kg and repeat in two weeks. Maybe a third time if you need to. Much less messy.


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## cogburn (Jul 16, 2012)

Sundancers said:


> If it is only the legs I would go with scaly mites ... Wash shanks and rub with vaseline, salad oil or baby oil. This needs to be done weekly for 6 ta 7 weeks.
> 
> Red mites are only red after they feed. You can check around the perches, the mites come out at night and crawl up the chickens legs to feed.
> 
> Hope this helps ...


I also oil nest boxes and roost poles/limbs once a month when I do a big clean, big clean I remove all hay & bedding and remove all feeders and waterers from coops, rake, clean and remove debris from boxes & coops, high power spray entire coops and roosts and nest boxes then I spray with bleach water and scrub with brush all surfaces chickens come in contact with, then rinse allow to dry. All feeders, waterers, and tools (even my brushes, 1 stiff brush for external poopy surfaces, 1 softer bristled bottle brush for inside feeders and waterers) get cleaned first with hot soapy water then bleach water, and allowed to air dry. When nest boxes are dry I oil them really good. All cracks and crevices, and oil roosts too. Then put it all back and do it again each month wether I see mites or not (haven't had any in many years). Knock on wood.. Knocks on top of my head.. Lol

Here is how I clean feeders and waterers, it's a Rubbermaid storage box for wrapping paper, I bought 2 for chick brooders, and 1 doubles as a soak sink at cleaning time.

Hope it helps..

Cogburn


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

I agree ... cleaning the coop is a must, then start a prevention program.


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## ladyt (Sep 16, 2012)

I have bought over the past month 17 hens and 1 cockerel, form the first batch of hens I have now got 3 girls with scaly leg and a bit on the cockerel, I've treated them with a herb cream which has worked quite well, but I noticed today that the 3 with it quite bad have now almost cleared up and It's not just the cream that has helped, part of there pen in a little bit muddy when it rains and over the past 2 weeks they've all been out in the mud and it seems to have helped clear away the scaly leg... To the point were I don't need to treat anymore...although I do check all the hens weekly...
The mud is full of rich clay...which in turn is full of lots of minerals...and I think they've helped to clear up the scaly leg...

I clean my hen house out weekly very carefullyand us a ground sanitiser outside and I have one for inside the shed too which works well....

I also have a tub of vaseoline on hand just in case I need to protect any of the deicate skin on there legs...it works well ok there feet keeps there skin soft not scaly...

Lady Sarah...xx


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Two all natural treatments I've tried that take one application with no recurrence are NuStock, which is good for so many things and animals on a homestead that it's worth getting some. Can't say enough about the NS and the residue left on the roosts will keep those clear of parasites as well. 

And castor oil..cheap and available at any pharmacy. It lasts long and both treatments promote healthy scale regrowth. The castor oil is good for internal and external parasites but a very sticky item..which makes it so effective long term, I'm thinking. 

I've tried Vaseline, bag balm, cooking oil, olive oil...but none worked. The NS and castor oil worked on the two separate occasions I've had the mites over the years...both times were not typical in my coop and were brought into it by outside sources. No recurrence. 

I've never had to clean or treat my coops for these parasites, even after these episodes. The treatment to the legs/roosts were enough.


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## grampsjim (May 18, 2015)

Bee, where can you get NuStock?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Active ingredients: Sulfur 73%, Pine Oil 2%, Mineral Oil 25%.

I see nothing there that would guarantee that scaly leg mites can't return. The Pine Oil in the ointment probably would kill off the existing mites but once it's gone, they can either hatch or reinfest the bird.

Unless your local feed store carries it then you would probably have to order it off the internet.


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## grampsjim (May 18, 2015)

What would you use in the coop and run to kill the scaley mites? I already use DE and garden lime.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Lime shouldn't be used where the birds walk, it can burn skin. 

I've only had one bird who has had issues with scaly leg mites, he's now ten years old. 

There really isn't much of anything extra other than using premise spray and thoroughly spraying the coop when cleaning it.


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## grampsjim (May 18, 2015)

Ok, thx ! I do cover the lime up with sand. We keep m areas in the run for them to dust bathe that doesn't have the lime.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If you're using the lime to keep the odor down use PDZ or Stall Dry. Totally safe and amazingly effective. I started using it in my horse stalls forever ago. If it could keep a horse stall from smelling imagine how it works with chickens.


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## zamora (May 26, 2015)

robin416 said:


> If it could keep a horse stall from smelling imagine how it works with chickens.


Horse stalls smell? Really, I never noticed. Smells like nectar to me.


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