Will hoey

[Luvachicken]

My girls have gone right off me

For the last 3 days they have each had their feet washed and then had Sudocrem applied.

Today when I went to get them they all ran off. Each time I have put in treats, to get them all in one place, then I catch them one at a time but today no amount of treats would get them in my direction and they all ran away

It took me ages to get them all

 

So, I have the Bumblefoot under control and because I have been checking their feet so often recently, I spotted a few raised scales and guessed they have the beginnings of scaly leg

 

What is it with my chickens If it's not Bumblefoot then something else comes along to plague my girls.

They don't go outside so have no contact with wild birds - where do they get these things from

 

Polly really hates the Sudocrem treatment and as soon as she has been done she heads off to bed in a sulk or embarrassment from having white slippers.

 

I only found out yesterday from an old chicken magazine that Pekins in particular suffer from scaly leg

Obviously I know chickens get it but I didn't know Pekins were one of the worst - mine haven't had it before.

They don't all have it but I think it's best to treat them all and it's amazing how quick some of the dry bits come off after just a few days of Sudocrem.

 

Why would Pekins get it more than others just because they have feathery feet - this doesn't make them have any more scales than any other chickens ?

[Blackrocksrock]

As long as you don't pick the bits off as they will replace after a moult. Try Ivermectin drops. I do it when they are not laying.

[The Dogmother]

A spot-on is the way to go for exo-parasites, they aren't licensed for use on poultry in the UK, but you have to make sure that you buy the correct concentration.

 

The fact that they have raised scales on their legs doesn't necessarily mean that they have scaly leg mites; what you are looking for is a scabbing underneath the scales, this is the mite droppings.

 

Try waiting half an hour after they've gone into roost and then removing them quietly and treating without any fuss. They will be much more biddable. I use a scaly leg mite spray, which I apply with a soft toothbrush and then coat the legs with Sudocrem

Edited September 22, 2016 by Guest

[mullethunter]

Oh Luvachicken you're really going through it aren't you

 

I hope the scaly leg clears up soon. I think Pekins are just more susceptible because the leg feathers gives the mites more places to hide.

[Luvachicken]

Well, I'm still catching them

They think they are wiser than me

 

Looking at their legs unfortunately doesn't help me decide whether they have scaly legs or not, but think it is better to treat them as they might do.

 

Have to go to the vet for our bunny so will ask for advice then

[mollyripkim]

Don't know if it helps but someone told me their legs get scalier with age. Certainly I have an elderly silkie and pekin whose legs do look rougher than the youngsters and I am pretty sure they haven't got anything.

[The Dogmother]

They do... a bit like humans' toenails that's one way to judge the age of a bird. The important thing to look for is the exude or crusting under the scales, the bird might also be mithering at their legs as the mites are very irritating. Key to effective use of the treatment spray is to work it up under the scales with a soft toothbrush, then seal in with Sudocrem..... the benzyl benzoate in the latter is an effective mite repellant, and the cream itself will suffocate any existing bugs.

[Luvachicken]

Hadn't thought about their legs looking older

Lucie is getting on a bit now and it was her legs I noticed first.

 

Will have a better look tomorrow now I think I have a better idea of what I'm looking at.