My ladys with white legs have a slight pink tint to them like they're irritated no none looks scaly yet. Am I guessing right or could it be something else? Ive changed all the litter and treated the pen with 7 dust, what else do I need to do?
Thanks for any help
Caren
Leg mites?
Don't know at all, but my most 'handsome and virile' roosters get that way...you can basically tell the pecking order by how red the legs are....
Edited to add...this color fades when they lose precedence...had one sicken and die and the poor boys legs faded as his women left him one by one...which would indicate whatever it was was NOT mites...they'd get worse with ill health, you'd think. Don't know if this is relevant. I'll try and get a pic...
This message was edited Jul 30, 2009 5:18 PM
From what I understand, the presence of mites involves a roughness of the legs because the mites burrow under the scales and push them up.
Ill try to get some pics. I don't have any one to hold them for me tonight.
You could put Vaseline on their legs.. it will smother the mites if they are there.. if not, well, it's nice. LOL
They also use Vaseline to make the legs look nice for shows don't they?
I think they also use motor oil for mites--but I can imagine useing it...it seems sort of toxic.
I had a rooster given to me that had scaley leg mites very bad,I used 1 part kerosine and 2 parts raw linseed oil,dip legs in mixture,repeat at 7 day intervals for 3 weeks and it worked,I also used vasaline in between to smother the mites.
I always use vaseline to make my legs look nice for shows. :-) Hahahaha.....
Seriously, I use vaseline on my chicken's legs if I notice scaliness. It does seem to help. Hard to keep free range chickens completely mite free.
Claire do you think climate can be a factor for mites? The reason I ask is in all the years I have had chickens I have never had one problem with leg mites, and my girls have always been free range? Just thought I's ask. And oh yes Claire I have noticed your nice shinny legs at the shows. Couldn't help myself. Howie
ROTFL.....thanks Hay, you just made my day!! What a laugh!!
I truly don't know about leg mites and climate. I always seem to have had a few with leg mites and I try to keep on top of it but they thwart me sometimes. Not sure what the solution is except to keep at it with the vaseline.
Where do the mites come from? Can they live without chickens? I have never had them here either, but my current flock are the first to be on the property and all arrived as day-old chicks, apparently sans leg mites.
I think they can come with visiting birds...So far we haven't had any, but I have picked up injured wild birds that were crawling with feather lice...so I imagine leg mites are a problem for them too.