Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[auntielizzie]

I've been a bit obsessed just recently with my chickens' legs; I can't decide whether they have scaly leg or not. Tonight after work I gave them all a good inspection and I definitely think two of them have I think it is early stages as they don't look half as bad as some of the gruesome pictures I've been looking at.

 

Question is, should I go for petroleum jelly/oil treatment or buy some special spray? Presumably petroleum jelly/oil is a slower treatment than the spray?

 

By the way, Bertha's prolapse showed itself again because she really didn't like me picking her up to inspect her legs It did go back in, but it's a bit of a worry She's not currently laying as she's moulting and what with her legs she looks a bit scruffy

 

Where do scaly leg mites come from anyway?!

[Space Chick]

The nettex scaly leg spray is good. Vaseline in my experience just makes bedding stick to it.

[auntielizzie]

Thanks space chick, I did wonder if it might be sticky!

[Egluntyne]

Sudocreme works like a charm.

[auntielizzie]

Haha just spent a very slippery ten minutes in the chicken shed Very messy me and very messy chickens! Might try the sudocreme; if not, maybe some scaly leg spray.

 

I thought they were supposed to be docile at bedtime - not true! A lot of flapping and clucking and oh no, berthas inside bits popped out again They do go back in, but I'm worried about the others pecking at it.

[mimi5]

Hi Auntielizzie. Mine originally got scaley leg from hatching on straw, but they can also get it from wild birds I can recommend the Nettex product which I use once a month on them all as a preventative measure

[The Dogmother]

There is a difference between just raised scales on an older bird, and scaly leg mite; birds with the latter will have an exude or scabbing under the scales and may also be pecking at their legs.

 

Vaseline is far too sticky... by far the best remedy I've found so far is to use the Nettex spray, applying it with a soft toothbrush and getting it up under the scales, when it is dry, coat with Sudocrem. A vet would recommend the use of spray containing permethrin, but this isn't licensed for use on poultry in the UK

 

They will pick up the mites from wild birds in your garden, one way to prevent it is to make sure that hey are never kept on damp litter or in mud as this will open up and soften the leg scales and make them more susceptible to the mites.

[gavclojak]

I also think the ivermectin based spot on's work as a preventative to scaly leg mites and other mites too.

Why not post a picture? I thought several times mine had it but realised it's just me being super paranoid!! Some girls scales do look bigger and more realised than others x

[The Dogmother]

The preventative does work gavclojak.

 

Older hens have more 'horny' leg scales, so there's more 'gapping', especially around the ankle joint; thus it's very easy for older birds to pick up scaly mites

[LizzieLloyd]

I use the spray (smells like linseed oil). Its very simple to use and the the birds dont seem to be bothered by it. Vaseline would be very sticky and a pain to administer.

[auntielizzie]

Thanks everyone; the two girls who look most likely to have leg mite are both black rock type hybrids. One in particular has a couple of raised scales in the front of where the foot joins the leg. They are about 2 and a half years old.

 

Anyway, after the Vaseline incident I bought some nettex spray on Saturday and sprayed their legs on Sunday. It was so much easier, although the Vaseline has made their legs look lovely! Having spent so much time looking at chicken legs I have decided that they are really quite ugly!

 

Will continue to monitor and will repeat the spray as per the instructions. As I said in the beginning, if they do have it then I have caught it early