quickcluck Posted December 26, 2010 Share Posted December 26, 2010 (edited) Noticed today when we were removing mud balls from their toes that a couple of the chook have scales that are raised at a 90 degree angle..... Is this scaley leg mite? If that's the case, what can I do about it? Is there treatment I can get for them at all? Have I been a bad chicken mummy and missed something???? Any help gratefully recieved... Thanks K Edited December 27, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 26, 2010 Share Posted December 26, 2010 Nettex do a scaly leg spray Some people use surgical spirit, Johnsons mite spray or benzyl benzoate to kill them (not licenced for use on poultry) A bit more gentle would be vaseline smeared on the legs to suffocate the mites but this takes a few applications and is messy However scaley leg mite leads to really crusty flakey legs, its normal for the scales where the foot meets the legs to be chunky and further apart and also when a bird moults the scales get flakey and raised as the top layer moults away so it may not be mite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted December 26, 2010 Author Share Posted December 26, 2010 thanks Tasha.... they have just had a mega moult, so do you think this is the reason more that it being leg mite? I can't see any thick or deformed legs....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 26, 2010 Share Posted December 26, 2010 Yes it sounds like its the moult, the leg scales dont always come away or come away cleanly If you gently rub your nail over the scales you may find that they will flake away Dont pick though or you'll make them bleed! If in doubt post pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted December 26, 2010 Author Share Posted December 26, 2010 DH has just said that during the moult there has been many scales/flakey bits in the cube, so must be the moult!!! Will wait and see what happens... had no idea that their legs moulted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 26, 2010 Share Posted December 26, 2010 Raised scales that are not down to scaley leg mite Thought a pic may help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 If it is scaley leg mite, there will be a straw coloured exudate between the scales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 If in doubt I would still give there legs a coat of Vaseline, it can't do any harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted December 27, 2010 Author Share Posted December 27, 2010 here you go, poor babette was not feeling photogenic this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bevmatt Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 I swear by Sudocrem. It contains Benzobenzoate which kills mites etc and it is thick and greasy so it suffocates the mites finally it softens the scales. That said the photos look as though the scales are raised but not suffering with scaley leg mite... normally it is powdery with scaley leg. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 It doesnt look like scaley leg to me either this is a case of scaly leg (treated earlier this year so looking better than it was) This is just raised scales due to moulting I didnt think I would be spending part of my holidays picking up hens and photographing their legs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 You are a trouper Tasha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 I know the feeling!!! Thanks for clearing that up for me though Tasha, panic over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Tasha - a picture's worth a thousand words. Thanks for posting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 That's not scaly leg mite Tasha's photos illustrate it perfectly. You would see a crust underneath the scales if she had mites. I use Johnson's anti-mite spray with good results *not licensed for use on poultry in the UK* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 ...I didnt think I would be spending part of my holidays picking up hens and photographing their legs But I'd like to add my thanks too Tasha, you're a star. Even though I've been chickenkeeping for 6 years, I didn't know the difference between moulting legs and scaley legs. I've been miserable thinking mites were taking over my flock. Now I'm so happy to have seen your photos and realise that they just have normal post moult legs. Thanks a million Tasha, and Quickcluck for the topic. I've learnt everything I know from this wonderful forum, and continue to gain knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Chooks will have looser, more prominent scales on their legs as they age - it's one way of telling whether an unscrupulous breeder is trying to fob you off with an old bird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Youre welcome Teabag Thats a very good point Clare, pullets always have lovely legs Thats one reason why cocks and hens arent shown as much as cockerels and pullets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 OK. Sorry to be completely dense here............... I know a pullet is a young hen, but what's the difference between a cock and a cockeral Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 A cockerel is the male version of a Pullet - a youngster under a year old or one that hasn't moulted yet ( two schools of thought) a cock is an adult male Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
