Treating Scaly Leg Mites | Chicken Husbandry Series

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

I hope you all enjoyed this video! I have created a Playlist for our Chicken Husbandry Series and I just got works our hatching eggs will arrive today! Everyone pray they are ok! They had a rough ride.

[@alit250]

can you please post an update whether it worked? do the feet look normal after this treatment? thanks

[@MoonlightHillFamilyFarm]

And thank u for the tip i need to get one of those dropper bottles

[@MoonlightHillFamilyFarm]

I cant wait to see the eggs hatch we doing silkies here in a couple weeks

[@mccullough8789]

I just rescued 10 chickens that all need this. Yours was very cooperative. Thanks for the info

[@hynot9175]

We use the same stuff, but 4-5 drops on back of neck, they absorb through skin, kills all worms\mites\lice too.

[@AlongTheRiverHomestead]

I have not had to deal with this before but it's good to know just in case! That bird is beautiful and makes you look tiny next to her, LOL!

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

She is a moose! We love her 🥰

[@jampackedfamilycountrylivi8022]

Thank you for the video! Once we finish our house we want to raise chickens. We need all the info we can get!

[@gracef2674]

Do you need to clean the coop and roosting bars as well? I have sand in my hen house and I just did a full cleaning a few weeks ago.

[@MoonlightHillFamilyFarm]

Your doin great on your channel better than me lol i been on for 7months or so

[@cynthiacecil8475]

Man the first year is ROUGH! Just stick with it 🥰

[@dtourje1]

How many times a week do you do this?

[@pendaofmercia7892]

I just rescued some silkies and their feet look awful. One appears to have bumble foot as well as leg mites, poor critters.

[@biscuitdoughhandsman7317]

What concentration is the ivermectin?

[@WesternGurl]

Do you treat all chickens that roost with her or just the infected one? Also, Her infected area looked pretty localized if it’s at the top and bottom of the leg where do you put the drop? Do you ever rub it or spread it?

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

If no other bird seems infected I will treat just the one but generally it's best to treat the whole flock because its a pretty high chance they have all been exposed and could reinfect each other. Like kids with lice. A small paintbrush can help you distribute the medication for sure but you don't have to worry about getting every nook and cranny.

[@susanmolnar7323]

Do you repeat this treatment?

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Yes 10 days later and you continue until all signs of the mites are gone depending on how bad it is only 2 treatments may be required and in very advanced cases more may be needed just like as if we were treating lice on humans or fleas in cats and dogs

[@susanmolnar7323]

@@TheNamelessHomestead My poor roster is hobbling around barely touching one of his feet down. He doesn't seem to be improving at all. :-(

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

If he isn't walking correctly there may be more than just mites going on. Mites do not generally impede their ability to walk. Feel free to DM me photos on insta or facebook! I am not a vet but I am happy to help if I can.

[@desireemyers6262]

Shouldnt the ivermectin just go on the skin under a wing so it can enter the blood stream?

[@MiscMitz]

SuddenlyI'm itchy... lol

[@treeman12815]

same

[@johnwalters7415]

How aften do I need to use it

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Every 7-10 days until it's completely gone. Like treating lice in humans. You gotta get all stages of the lifecycle of the suckers or they will come right back and can even build a resistance to the meds if you keep almost wiping them out but not quite.

[@johnwalters7415]

@@TheNamelessHomestead Do you do this like ones a year

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

No. Just if/when it comes up. In 7 years we have had mites twice.

[@vincentloosveld9790]

What is the percentage ivectermin in the fluid you use? Thanks!

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Great question thank you for asking! The formulation of the product I use is 5mg of ivermectin per ml.

[@vincentloosveld9790]

@@TheNamelessHomestead Thanks for the quick answer. Is that 0,20%? Most online shops speak of percentage. Just want te be sure. 🙂 Most people recommend putting the drops on the skin in the neck. Putting on the legs/feest is better?

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

@@vincentloosveld9790 because this particular issue is isolated to the legs I find it more effective to apply to the legs. as for the percentage I am honestly not sure as I stick to this one product so I havent had to fuss with percentages for comparison purposes.

[@lerussophileut]

@@vincentloosveld9790 The correct dosage is 0.4 micrograms (ug) per kg of weight. Ivermectin is systemic, which means, it will travel through the body wherever you pour it. We place the drop on the neck to prevent the chicken from ingesting it, so the place as to be as inaccessible as possible. As an example, my poulet is 2.5kg, so I will poor exactly 0,2ml (= 1 ug) of a 5ug/ml bovine solution. ;)

[@kayaziraldo2629]

I have a big flock to treat, i;m wondering if you think it would work to put a bunch into a mixture of veggie oil/petroleum jelly and dipping their legs ?

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Honestly, just painting it on as is would be less work and more assurance that they got the correct dose. Also, in winter additives like petroleum jelly increase the risk of frostbite because of their added moisture.

[@kayaziraldo2629]

One more question! :) does it work if I apply on the back of the neck instead of leg? I keep hearing people doing that.

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

It can, but for leg mites, I find its faster acting when placed near the source of infestation.

[@janiep7212]

Should you wait to eat the chicken's eggs after treating them?

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Ues Janie sorry I neglected to mention it in this video. There is no standard and established withdrawal time because it's an off-label medication but it is generally accepted that we wait 14 days from the final dosage of the medication to resume eating the eggs.

[@Mlcs42832]

Is it just 1 treatment to eradicate the leg mites or should this be followed up in a week or two?

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Every 7-10 days until the infestation is well and cleared. You got to get the whole life cycle. Like treating lice in human children!

[@Lilian.94]

Where can I buy this ivermectine? And is it save to use it on lightweight 600grams chickens?

[@boxelder9167]

They have it at many feed stores.

[@anerawewillneverforget]

It doesn’t matter, ivermectin is for humans and all animals and birds ❤❤❤

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Yes, it is used in humans.. But, people have had allergic reactions to it. So especially for folks selling eggs be sure to observe withdrawal times! I have even used the pour on for cattle on myself when my kids gave me head lice 😂 but don't take that as medical advice! I was desperate as I have long, thick, curly hair 😅

[@happylittlewife]

Hello! I appreciate this video. I clicked on the link for the ivermectin and it said "sorry, this is unavailable"... could you comment the link of what you used so I know I'm getting the right thing? Thank you!!

[@jamieallen5017]

Do you throw away her eggs? Now that she got the medication

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

I do an "egg withdrawal" for 14 days after her last dose of medicine. Just to be on the safe side.

[@linzeydinzey2795]

Can you apply this to a bird that just hatched out chicks? I just noticed one of my mama hens that just hatched a clutch of eggs last weeks has mites but I don’t want to treat her in a way that would hurt the babies since they all sleep under her on her legs.

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

It absorbs very quickly. I can not say with 100% certainty because I am not a vet. However, if I were in your situation I would feel comfortable treating a hen who was caring for chicks.

[@chelseyreis7075]

Did you treat all the chickens?

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Indeed I did! Even if they aren't symptomatic they can often pass it around to each other.

[@strictmachine2121]

Is pour on different than oral ivermectin?

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Great question! It is very different in both the dosage and the application. Pour on is formulated to be easily absorbed into the skin. Oral Ivermectin is formulated to be absorbed by digestion. They really aren't interchangeable.

[@MoonlightHillFamilyFarm]

Oh no i hate mites i just got done doing mine too poor. Baby she like hurry hurry lol

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Lol yeah, she was not at all amused with my shenanigans.

[@hasinabegom3112]

Ssalllam by bangladash thanks

[@jimnowak3960]

Save a ton of money and buy you a pint of kerosene and a small paint brush. Apply kerosene to each leg with your paint brush. Leg mites gone. Yeah I know, that old man is crazy. I worked 25 years with some world renown avian doctors. This was their recommendation, not mine. It works and you will have enough kerosene to last you the rest of your life. This would not be their suggestion to the general public. There is no money in this for them. What you are doing is fine but expensive. I am in no way trying to put down. Just trying to save folks money. Us folks that are on Social Security don't get a raise to keep up with inflation. Hope your birds get well soon.

[@guaporeturns9472]

Soak feet in gasoline for about a minute or two.. let dry and apply Vaseline.. wait a day and do gasoline soak again on the third day followed with Vaseline.. do that cycle about 4 time. Works good

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Absolutely toxic and dangerous as well as messy and unnecessary. Why do all of that mess when you can just do a couple of drops of a cheap medication?

[@guaporeturns9472]

@@TheNamelessHomestead Yeah gasoline isn’t good for anything it touches.. the mites , chickens , humans.

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

So probably don't recommend this method to people then....

[@jimnowak3960]

Not gasoline. Kerosene.

[@guaporeturns9472]

@@TheNamelessHomestead kills the mites so…?

[@jimnowak3960]

Keep the floor area they live in dry by using sand not any kind of hay or straw that holds moisture. Mites and lice love wet straw and hay. It's a perfect breeding ground for them.

[@lionessofel3203]

I do sand in the run but in winter months, it's just too cold to not put straw or any kind of bedding. Deep litter method is awesome in winter and by spring, you'll have compost for your garden.

[@jimnowak3960]

The cold sand will not hurt your birds feet or legs. Chickens can with stand cold but the heat will knock them out in a few minutes. I have had free roaming birds for over 50 years and never had one suffer any problems from the cold ground. I do have some fowl used for breeding in pens with just sand all winter, no problems. Just my opinion, if it works for you go for it.

[@jimnowak3960]

@@lionessofel3203 If it works for you keep doing it. I am just a 78 year old man with a little experience, not any kind of professional. Watch the wild birds, I bet they are doing fine without any bedding.

[@lionessofel3203]

@@jimnowak3960 really? I was taught cold un insulated floors in the winter was a no no. You have more experience than me! I'm only 33. 50 years no problems I guess it's fine! Though the compost is great.

[@TheNamelessHomestead]

Straw and sand both have their benefits for sure. I used to use sand actually but switched to straw for the deep bedding method over winter. I found my incidence of frostbite lessened when I switched. I have had a case of mites but it is easily treated with ivermectin. It's give and take. Sand is great at keeping humidity down and it's easy to keep clean for sure. I love it and use it for my spring, summer, fall bedding for my flock.