# Scaly leg mites?



## carp (Aug 6, 2016)

I have 7 chickens. We got them in the spring. The light brahma has really rough and scaly legs. She had a rough bump on her leg and i scratched at it and underneath was a feather that had grown around in circles and i pulled out the feather. The same thing has been happening underneath her scales and I made the mistake of pulling off 2 scales because there were bumps underneath and 1 was a feather. Could she have scaley leg mites? The other chickens look fine. They are all hens. Roosters are banned in my area.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

How about posting a picture? It's hard to visualize just by description.


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Are you sure you're not just dealing with ingrown feathers? Bumps sound more like ingrown feathers than mites.

Scaly leg mites cause the scales on the leg to overgrow and get mishappen and weird. Almost ends up looking like a reptile... Here's a photo (sorry it's not my own.) Do they look like this?


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## carp (Aug 6, 2016)

WeeLittleChicken said:


> Are you sure you're not just dealing with ingrown feathers? Bumps sound more like ingrown feathers than mites.
> 
> Scaly leg mites cause the scales on the leg to overgrow and get mishappen and weird. Almost ends up looking like a reptile... Here's a photo (sorry it's not my own.) Do they look like this?


No, not really. I think it may just be ingrown feathers. What should I do about it?


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I've owned Light Brahmas and they have feathered feet/legs. The feathers initially grow out every which way but eventually grow out normal. The scales are lifted due to feather growth and can get dirty underneath scales from dirt baths etc...The lifting of the scales can also cause irritation and redness of the feet/legs. The lifted scales can possibly be an 'invite' for scaly legs mites if in fact they were infected by other chickens or wild birds. I highly recommend that you purchase a tube of Nu-Stock at your feed store. Shake the tube well, wear disposable gloves and apply the Nu-Stock to your hens feet and legs. Also apply a light coat on roosts. Continue to apply the Nu-Stock as needed. It will not only smother and kill scaly leg mites, it will heal her feet/legs.


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## carp (Aug 6, 2016)

I noticed that the scales were kind of lifted on my plymouth. I am starting to think it may be scaley leg mites again.


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## carp (Aug 6, 2016)

I checked online and I'm pretty sure they don't have it so I got some gasoline to put on her feet.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

carp said:


> I checked online and I'm pretty sure they don't have it so I got some gasoline to put on her feet.


I dont recommend using gas despite what the 'Chicken Chick' or whoever else recommends it. It will burn her skin where you pulled two scales off her feet. Additionally when she preens feet/leg feathers she might ingest a gas contaminated feather and cause internal damage, maybe death. 
Feed stores carry Nu-Stock in the horse section. There are many other products that can be used to treat scaly leg mites but treatment times take longer; vegetable oil, caster oil, olive oil, vaseline etc...Good luck.


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## carp (Aug 6, 2016)

dawg53 said:


> I dont recommend using gas despite what the 'Chicken Chick' or whoever else recommends it. It will burn her skin where you pulled two scales off her feet. Additionally when she preens feet/leg feathers she might ingest a gas contaminated feather and cause internal damage, maybe death.
> Feed stores carry Nu-Stock in the horse section. There are many other products that can be used to treat scaly leg mites but treatment times take longer; vegetable oil, caster oil, olive oil, vaseline etc...Good luck.


I meant vaseline LOL it was a typo. I wouldn't put gas on my chickens.


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