Scaly leg mites are little 'bugs' that get under the chickens scales and cause pain, discomfort, raised scales and soreness. I noticed my chickens legs last year but I thought it was related to age. After noticing my younger chickens getting the same problem, I did some googling. Ugh. Scaly leg mites. At first I was really frustrated because a lot of suggestions were to use ivermectin but there was no answer as to how long the safe amount of time was before we could eat eggs again, nor if we could kill bird treated that way.
Of course, I found another way. Actually many other ways but I chose two and merged them together. First of all, I cleaned the coop as best as I could. (I need a coop facelift), then I had to catch every single bird and depending on the severity I either dipped their legs in vegetable oil or gasoline. Now, I know you are reading 'gasoline?' wtf!! But those infected were either going to be culled or this tried. Most of the chickens just stood in whichever solution I put them in. It was more of a quick dip, then were help while it dripped off, then I slathered Vaseline all over their legs.
This actually resulted in some very dirty looking birds for a while hahahaha.
My roosters were miserable jerks about it. All except three really. I was wondering how I would choose who to keep and who to cull. Welp. I ended up culling those miserable roosters just yesterday because I didn't want to fight them again to get them treated. It wasn't worth my injuries and I couldn't give them away with leg mites and I couldn't let them live here with leg mites while treating the rest. I warned them. One rooster was put down because he got hurt fighting the others and it was painful for me to work on his legs. Poor guy. So two roosters got to stay. My Barred Rock rooster and one of the Barnyward mixes (He's red with a white tail and white on his neck) They stood patiently and calmly while I treated them.
Also. The bantams didn't get treated because they sneak out of the barn in the morning. Their legs looked okay and they WILL get treated but that day they didn't.
My chickens have now been treated twice and I've already noticed a pretty big difference! They are also suddenly producing more eggs so those poor babies must have been in so much discomfort and pain. Awww! I feel bad but now I know.
Of course, I found another way. Actually many other ways but I chose two and merged them together. First of all, I cleaned the coop as best as I could. (I need a coop facelift), then I had to catch every single bird and depending on the severity I either dipped their legs in vegetable oil or gasoline. Now, I know you are reading 'gasoline?' wtf!! But those infected were either going to be culled or this tried. Most of the chickens just stood in whichever solution I put them in. It was more of a quick dip, then were help while it dripped off, then I slathered Vaseline all over their legs.
This actually resulted in some very dirty looking birds for a while hahahaha.
My roosters were miserable jerks about it. All except three really. I was wondering how I would choose who to keep and who to cull. Welp. I ended up culling those miserable roosters just yesterday because I didn't want to fight them again to get them treated. It wasn't worth my injuries and I couldn't give them away with leg mites and I couldn't let them live here with leg mites while treating the rest. I warned them. One rooster was put down because he got hurt fighting the others and it was painful for me to work on his legs. Poor guy. So two roosters got to stay. My Barred Rock rooster and one of the Barnyward mixes (He's red with a white tail and white on his neck) They stood patiently and calmly while I treated them.
Also. The bantams didn't get treated because they sneak out of the barn in the morning. Their legs looked okay and they WILL get treated but that day they didn't.
My chickens have now been treated twice and I've already noticed a pretty big difference! They are also suddenly producing more eggs so those poor babies must have been in so much discomfort and pain. Awww! I feel bad but now I know.
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