I've tried a number of procedures to control scaly leg mite in my flock (bathing with insecticidal soap and vaseline, just vaseline), but as my flock grows, I've tried a new method, and so far so good. It's much faster to dip in oil than to smear vaseline, and the two are comparably priced. I feel much better about using a natural and edible product.
I heat up the pint of oil in a saucepan so it's liquid, and then grab chickens and dip their feet. Every morning before breakfast, I go through a whole coop, pulling out one chicken at a time. Everyone gets treated, and every few days, they repeat.
One leg...
Now the other...
They get real quiet when I dip their feet.
I'm not sure about this, but it's nice and warm.
Drip dry.
Then I set them down and they run off to eat.
Chris is a biiiiig boy.
Good thing he's gentle.
Here's a little Silkie getting oiled. Instead of dipping their little feather duster feet in the oil, I use a spoon to pour over.
The oil is starting to harden. Every morning it's a race to finish a coop-full before the oil thickens again in the cold.
This is what happens when I say "Here, hold this chicken for a minute, would you?"
Now the oil is not dippable anymore. Someone gets greasy feet.
I am not familiar with scaly leg mite. I will have to look that up! It's nice your chickens are tame enough to treat them like that. We've never had cooperative chickens. Just crazy birds.
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Very very common thing, makes their legs look like dusty, or when it gets worse, their scales stand up and there's an encrustation. Silkies are especially prone. I didn't say that, did I - it's treatable by feeding them Ivermectin, which is out for organics.
They aren't very tame:) It's a rodeo. Once grabbed, they settle down.
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Ha ha! I've participated in a few chicken rodeos, but never thought to hang that label off it. Love it!
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Glad it's working! Ive been lucky and not had to deal with scaly leg mites.
If that seems like it needs help working quicker, I bet adding neem oil to the coconut would work wonders. :D
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ah, neem, yes. Would it sting them? They often have micro wounds on their feet.
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Nope, it shouldnt. I use neem as an antiseptic on our (people) injuries, and it doesnt sting us.
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Thank you.
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