Greased chooks legs!

[Snadger]

Heading says it all really...........one of the jobs I did today was catch each individual chook (have you ever seen Rocky where he's chasing chickens to keep fit.....it works!) I then applied vaseline to the nobbly bits on their legs. I've been told it is scale mite and that the vaseline suffocates them?
My worry is that I go to the plot tomorrow and find each of there legs are gunged up with muck sticking to the vaseline! If nowt else it'll keep there legs warm these cold nights though!

PS Had to break the ice in all three of there drinking dishes today!

[lynda66]

hope you did your leeks too

[vicky]

I put sudocream on mine a couple of weeks ago. I'm a little suspicious of my only non battery hen as she has arrived with everything else and her legs are looking a bit 'bumpy'. Her legs did get everything stuck to them, but only for a few days before it rubbed off, I will have to do it again - thanks for the reminder! A really horrible job as you have to fight this particular bird (she's not tame like the others) to catch her and keep her still, I got as much over me as her!

[MaureenHall]

well you could always get them some socks to wear that'd keep the vaseline in place and keep their legs warm at the same time!

[Hilary B]

Best way to deal with an awkward hen that MUST be handled is to catch her on the perch after dark. Has anyone tried Zinc and Castor Oil cream instead of vaseline? Probably best to ask a vet before using it, but iof Sudocrem is any good, the ZaCO should be better. You would need to be careful not to put on so much they could peck it off (it might be bad for them to get a tummy-full) but it should be just as suffocating if worked in between the 'raised' scales, and has an antiseptic property as well.

[frias]

I know you can put Vaseline on a tick and it suffocates and it drops off. Never tried anything else though.

[Snadger]

Never thought of Sudocrem..........I allergic to it so have a full tub left in the bathroom. If the vaseline doesen't work at least I'll get some use out of the Sudacrem! Hope chooks don't have allergies!

[Snadger]

hope you did your leeks too

At least I didn't have to chase the leeks around the lottie! Lol

[vicky]

I saw sudocream recommended on another site and as I have a toddler I have pots and pots of the stuff! I wonder if I could just creep into the coop at night and do her legs without even handling her?
LOL re chasing your leeks around, Snadger, much easier than chooks! Don't fight back too!

[Noodle]

Snadger, you probably saw on another site that I'm having this problem as well. I spoke to 3 vets and none would give me Frontline spray (which is supposed to be the best thing for killing the mites) so I've been painting benzol benzonate (or something) onto them. This seems to be helping and the worse affected one looks loads better, but it's a real pain to do!
If you can dunk the legs in surgical spirit before putting the vaseline on that is supposed to help too. Hope it clears up quick!

[Birdie Wife]

I've been battling scaley leg mite for months at least it's not red mite. I managed to get Frontline from the vet's now it is off prescription. They wanted to check I was one of their clients before they would sell it to me though. It's the only thing that I've found to be effective. Don't do what I did before and dunk their legs in white spirit instead of surgical spirit

[HayleyB]

I wondered about the vaseline sticking to stuff as well. Fortunately I had a Frontline spray. You can get Frontline online as well.

[Noodle]

You can get Frontline online as well.

The spray wason prescription when I was looking for it andI couldn't get a vet to write me one. It may have changed though as they seem to do that quite a bit!

[HayleyB]

I get frontline and drontal for the dogs online. I had the spray for the puppy when born but didn't need it.

[Suechooks]

Snadger, you probably saw on another site that I'm having this problem as well. I spoke to 3 vets and none would give me Frontline spray (which is supposed to be the best thing for killing the mites) so I've been painting benzol benzonate (or something) onto them. This seems to be helping and the worse affected one looks loads better, but it's a real pain to do!
If you can dunk the legs in surgical spirit before putting the vaseline on that is supposed to help too. Hope it clears up quick!

You can get Frontline online - Vet Medics. It came off prescription some time ago. It's also available at Pets at Home and Country Store in my town so probably large pet shop chains and agricultural stores wherever you are