The Poultry Keeper

susyrosyworzy · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 48

Hello everyone - I notice while I've been absent for a few days, something's been going on with this board. Sorry to hear about that - intrigued, but never mind that.

What I'm really writing about is the fact that this morning I saw 2 out of my 4 hens have what appears to be a continuous warty growth all over their legs and feet, as if they are wearing warty Norah Batty stockings. Now, I'm reluctant to spend more money than ever keeping my vet, as I have for many years, so I wondered whether there was anything the matter with the birds' feet, or whether this is normal. The other two have smooth legs and feet. Can the team tell me what to do?

PS I will go to the vet if necessary, of course!

Thanks, Susy

Lisa · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:00 am Post subject:

Hi Susy

Could it be Scaly leg?

Link to feathersite page with pictures of scaly leg....

If so, its a mite that gets under the scales, raising them and irritating the chicken Confused

Treatment can either be via something from the vet, or putting something on the legs to (IIRC) suffocate the mites - eg repeated dipping in surgical spirit, or rubbing vaseline on. Treatment kills the mites, but the legs don't look better until the new scales grow...

Not had to deal with it myself - hopefully someone will be along with actual experience of how effective the various options are.

HTH,
Lis Smile

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7364 Location: isle of lewis

that's how we treated our first three bantams that we got given, when we first moved up here .did it every couple of days for a while carn't remember how long it took ,it cleared the scaley leg up
suz

Lisa · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:10 am Post subject:

Which did you use? The surgical spirit, or the vaseline?

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7364 Location: isle of lewis

we used both first we washed the legs with baby soap Shocked

,then we sort of painted surgical spirit on them then put vasline on them ,was a pain but worked the kids helped and it didn't take long ,with 1 washing ,1 ss and 1 putting the vasline on .i think the idea is any on the surface the ss gets and the vasline suficates the ones betwen the scales ,the washing was because mud and sticky stuff is orrible Sad

suz

Fenn · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 2292 Location: Shrewsbury

I've got a pekin with scaly leg - I've been told to dip her feet in liquid paraffin, but will I need to clip her boot feathers off first?

Her feet are filthy atm anyway because of the weather - poor thing, she runs when she sees me coming cos I'm usually about to give her a quick haircut to get rid of the muck Laughing

susyrosyworzy · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 48

[quote="Lisa"]Hi Susy

Could it be Scaly leg?

It does look like the photos, so I'll try the vaseline method - should I put vaseline on the non-scaly hens as well?

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7364 Location: isle of lewis

i think i would Very Happy

,no harm in making sure that there's none there Wink

suz

skye girl · Joined: 27 Aug 2005 Posts: 638 Location: Isle of skye

Cooking oil works real well, I had it ( well 2 of my hens did after brooding)and it cleared up in 2 to 3 weeks and makes their legs look good after, just sprayed it on or dip there legs in it every 3 or 4 days

fenwoman · Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:16 pm Post subject:

and frontline works very well indeed and kills them off in one application. Even pekins, with no need to clip feathers off. Simply one squirt up each leg and they are done. No dipping, rubbing etc daily and stressing them out .Simply pick them up, 2 squirts and all done. I would do them all though, even the ones not showing signs as they are catching.

Two Pots Bantams · Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 29 Location: Cambridgeshire

If you are eating the eggs it might be worth checking on the use of Frontline as it is not licensed for use on poultry . I think you will find that there is a withdrawal period of up to 30 days . I am sure that is the case when using Ivermectins so Frontline may be similar .
Colin .

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

I asked the vet about Frontline as I had also heard that, but of course they pooh poohed it.

Which one do you use Fenwoman - as there are so many types and strengths etc.

And do you think a couple of drops on the back of the neck would do the scaly and other mites etc?

Debs

fenwoman · Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 12:57 pm Post subject:

there are no types or strengths of frontline spray there is only one.I think you are getting confused with the frontline spot on. Odd when I specifically said "one spray up each leg" Wink

Do pay attention. Very Happy

Your vet is odd and I would have zero confidence in a vet which didn't know that frontline spray killes mites. Why is it sold if it doesn't work?

My own vet has prescribed it for chickens that I have had brought to me with severe scaley leg.
SO to clarify for people getting confused. When I mention frontline spray and giving a spray up each leg, then I mean the frontline spray not drops. Heck I don't even use the drops of the cats and dogs cos I use something cheaper and way way better.

fenwoman · Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 1:09 pm Post subject:

two pots you are getting confused. my vet said 7 days withdrawal for the frontline. Ivomec is more than a little different, it being a dangerous, nasty, cancer inducing organophosphate.
There is far too much scaremongering, half truths and misinformation spread about as it is.
Frontline is not licenced for fowl but is safe to use. I have used it for the last 9 year or more. I have also used it on budgies with scaley face mite.
Your vet can prescribe it. Ask him about egg withdrawal periods.
What more can I say? If you want to go the other route catching up birds every day and holding them with one hand while trying to rub oil or vaseline or whatever else into the legs with the other hand and hold the jar with the... oops, that's right, we only have 2 hands. Or dipping the legs into something nasty, toxic and which will sting like crazy if the scales have lifted and made a cut. What is the withdrawal period for eggs smeared with oil or benzyl benzoate? Surgical spirit dries things out and really stings badly if it is got onto a graze or sore.
Let's face it, anything which is going to kill scaley mites or any mites which burrow into the skin, is noit going to be harmless stuff if it works quickly and efficiently. The alternative is catching all your hens daily and rubbing, smearing or coating oil or grease onto them every single day for weeks clagging featehrs up, making bits of dirt stick to the grease and stressing them out.
The choice is up to the owner. I personally prefer to handle each bird once, piclk it up, give 2 sprays and hey presto all done.

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

Woo!!
That told me!!! LOL Wink

Yes I did think you meant the spot on stuff - and I did wonder how you managed it to 'spray' it on the legs! Just haven't come across the frontline spray before.
And I was asking the vet about using 'spot on' for chickens and that's the one that he pooh poohed. (Saying that - that particular vet was the one that has now gone after recommending I inject my chooks with sheep dip to cure the scaley. (Needless to say I didn't!!!)

Off to go write 100 hundred lines "must read more slowly and not make assumptions"