Scaly leg (chickens)

[JillA]

Does anyone know - will diatomaceous earth get rid of the mites like it does red mite? Or will I have to get a specific treatment? Small infestation on a hen that has gone broody so I can easily dust her "nest" with DE.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

no, the mites get between the scales and you need to use sudocrem/liquid parafin/vaseline worked in to suffocate them. do once a week for a month (mites can persist in the environment for a month or so)

 

[JillA]

Thanks, got plenty of all of those lol

 

[MotherOfChickens]

benzyl benzoate is good for mites as well-it can be watered down and sprayed onto surfaces.

 

[dollyanna]

I've had great success using a dab of neem oil, let it trickle into all the cracks, just used it once a week or once a fortnight and it has healed beautifully. This was quite a bad case too.

 

[Kylara]

Coat legs in sudocrem (or vaseline but sudocrem better) for about a week then once a week for about a month.

Can also pop some ivermectin drops on chook which will have the added bonus of killing any other mites etc on the chicken as well!

 

[JillA]

Lol got all of those except the ivermectin (itchy horse ) Neem oil might be less hassle, she is happy to be handled for a while and then gets anxious to get back to her (china) egg!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

ivermectin is not licensed for poultry, I have used it for persistant scaly leg but with prescription from vet-there is also egg withdrawal for ivermectin. be careful with essential oils and chooks-some are neurotoxic.

 

[JillA]

benzyl benzoate is good for mites as well-it can be watered down and sprayed onto surfaces.

Did you know Imperial Leather talc contains BB? That will be going on her nest, it works for my itchy horse so..........

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Did you know Imperial Leather talc contains BB? That will be going on her nest, it works for my itchy horse so..........

I didnt know that. Personally I wouldnt put talc near anything especially a small animal.

 

[Emmangel]

My friend uses vaseline and said it works really well......

 

[Esmae]

A very well respected chicken producer told me that if you dunk the chicken's legs in surgical spirit daily for a week you will get rid of scaly leg with ease. I tried it and it worked a treat.