Re: Lame chicken - advice please ? Scaly Leg Mite!!!

OmManiPadmeOmelet <Omelet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I personally used a combination of pyrethrine spray and Olive oil...
>
> I was told by another chicken breeder that sparrows carry scaly leg mite.


Hi Om,

I would still prefer applying something harmless like vaseline or olive
oil, several times, than use something only once that is a) much dearer
and b) potentially toxic.

I wonder whether the Frontline stuff is actually licenced for laying
hens.

Pyrethrine substances have been used here to kill varroa mites on bees,
and I used it because we didn't have any alternative at the time. It did
work fine for a few short years, until the mites got resistant to it.

All that is really necessary to get rid of scaly leg mites is suffocate
them, and make sure the ones hatching afterwards get killed, too. I
don't mind handling my birds at all, in fact I think I should do it more
often. It gives a good idea of each bird's weight, and they get used to
handling so they won't make a fuss if they need to be treated, or get
examined by the judge at shows.

In fact, last time I showed some of mine at a club meeting, they asked
me whether I'd sedated my birds, they were so calmly standing in their
cages while all the others seemed to panick in that unfamiliar
environment!


Ah, about the sparrows, I need to check what exactly is the way that the
mites change birds ;-) Somehow I don't see them hop off a sparrow in the
yard, hoping that eventually a chicken will pass by that it can try to
catch ;-) I would have thought that much closer contact is necessary,
but as that is only a thought I need to try and find facts.

If I get around to it...

Nuele (D)

--
to mail me, replace the fowls by sap to avoid the spam trap
.

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