Think my girls may have scaly leg mite.

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

I was sat watching the chicks this morning and then noticed that the broody hen's legs look like scales. I don't really think I've ever noticed before and not sure if they should look like this. The other hens' legs are the same. They don't look "raised up" which I read is a sign of leg mites.

Are hens' legs meant to look scaly or not?

thanks.

LOL I didn't see this was in chicken keepers, I though WTF poor children

River cottage link
Some advice on how to treat it. Try googling scaley mite pictures (I could not get the link to work )...have to go off to work just now.

do they look like healthy scales? Basically, how you'd expect a reptile's legs to look? I have experience with scaly leg mite, it looks all rough and 'not right' like this picture

Doesn't look anything like that photo Geekgirl. Just normal reptile scales I guess. Funny how I've never noticed them before - suppose I don't really look at their legs

Well thats a relief.

mine had this when i got them, i treated it with surgical spirit painted on their legs with a small paint brush once a week. It can take several months to improve though. I think I got that tip from the river cottage site...it's quite a helpful forum on there.

We did the surgical spirit route - but did it everyday - hens very tame, so not a problem. Need to do this if the legs, instead of having shiny, smoothly lying scales, start to get a bit bumpy, particularly obvious around the 'ankle' - better to treat asap rather than leave to get bad.

We dip legs in surgical spirit and then coat with vaseline. Repeat the vaseline every few days. You won't see improvement until after the chickens moult though as they moult their leg scales as well as feathers.

When new scales are through try the vaseline treatment every few weeks to keep them smooth.

I use Diatom powder. I sprinkle it around the henhouse after I have swept out and before adding new wood shavings.