[Mel]

  Hi all,

Scaly leg,I have been using Barrier Scaly Leg Spray but to be honest,I am not overly impressed with the results on the one hen of my flock which has it.I purchased some hens today from Fabians,they have the worst scaly leg I have ever seen-their legs are really large and encrusted. Obviously I do have them segregated from all my other birds.

Do you believe the Barrier is used every 5 days shall get their feet back to normal or should I linseed them and so forth.I shall send some pics in tomorrow,the poor birds are so bad they are sitting in the nest boxes and cannot perch-or seemingly do not like to.

I must admit,I did buy them very cheap-(16 RIR x possibly Warrens/Hubbards for £22.50) I think the scaly leg put others off,but I am determined to get them back to normal.They laid half a dozen eggs on the way home!

Your suggestions please

[tizaala]

As a quick fix you cant beat  Vaseline . You have to rub it well in and really coat their legs in the stuff. The mite that causes it breathes through it's backside so what your doing is suffocating them. in a few days you will start to see the results, ok the hens will get feathers and sawdust stuck to them for a while , but at least that will drop off soon.

[darkbrowneggs]

Years ago a friend of a friend asked if I could re-home some non-laying bantams.  Never again  because they arrived after dark, and when I saw them next morning I was horrified at the state of their legs. 

Now - remembering that this was in the past, and I am sure it is not allowed today     I just dipped the scaly part of the leg/foot in neat paraffin, and it was all cured in a week or two. 

I suspect that was why they were not laying but I did find another home for them. 

[SallyintNorth]

I have friends who breed and rear a variety of fowl, mostly rare breed.

They used to buy in some live birds as well as hatching eggs, and found they'd bring in scaly leg from time to time.  Paraffin worked they said, but it always seemed to come back.

In the end they got rid of all their birds, burnt every single house, and started up all over again, buying in hatching eggs only and never ever bringing in a live bird.  They've been scaly leg free ever since.

[darkbrowneggs]

Interesting - In my case none of my own birds picked it up, and I never had a recurrence.

I wonder if their lines were genetically susceptible, and when they started with new good stock the problem was solved

[Rosemary]

We get the odd one with it but never really bad, touch wood. We douse the affected parts with surgical spirit. Seems to work.

[Mel]

I have done the vaseline today just for now and I really cannot believe anyone would allow their hens to get like this-They are really terrible,no wonder they are all sitting down and a little unhappy! I have not done the pictures yet,need my OH to hold on to one to do so,but shall update,I personally think it is the worst case you could imagine!!

I really do not know why the RSPCA do not frequent these places,all the birds were left without water,some looked like they were just about to croak it,some were very nice birds,but still,leaving them without water is a no no. Sorry,Nice auction,but as far as animal welfare is Fabian Eagles get the big thumbs down from me.

[Henstock]

I asked Victoria Roberts (vet affiliated to the PCGB) this question once and she advised dousing the legs in surgical spirit to kill the mites. Which I have used and it does work well.
Prior to this we used Benzyl Benzoate on a cock we rescued who had very bad scaly leg and it cleared up really well, you wouldn't know to look at him now. The only problem is you can't get it any more, something to do with licences 
Just remember whatever you use, the legs are unlikely to look better quickly. If they are as bad as you say the scales will take a while to moult off and the new ones underneath should be better.

[CrunchyKat]

I asked Victoria Roberts (vet affiliated to the PCGB) this question once and she advised dousing the legs in surgical spirit to kill the mites. Which I have used and it does work well.

I read somewhere the other day to dip in surgical spirit and then slap on vaseline. I've never tried it though.

[doganjo]

I asked Victoria Roberts (vet affiliated to the PCGB) this question once and she advised dousing the legs in surgical spirit to kill the mites. Which I have used and it does work well.

I read somewhere the other day to dip in surgical spirit and then slap on vaseline. I've never tried it though.

My warren had this a few weeks ago and this is exactly what I did.  The old scales fell off quickly and she was right as rain within a few weeks - none of the others caught it either.  Don't know where she got it as I haven't taken any new hens in for more than a year.

[bigchicken]

All livestock markets have welfare officers and If anyone has a complaint about the condition of any birds then they should make there views know to the mart. I have stated before that if nobody buyers these substandard birds then the type of people who sell birds like these will maybe learn that this is not on. By buying birds that are diseased or not well all you are doing is perpetuating the practice and nothing will improve.  Leghorn I have one question for you did you complain to the mart. The rule of buying at marts is buyer beware, and ask yourself why are these birds so cheep. Allways buy the best you can. 

[Mel]

All livestock markets have welfare officers and If anyone has a complaint about the condition of any birds then they should make there views know to the mart. I have stated before that if nobody buyers these substandard birds then the type of people who sell birds like these will maybe learn that this is not on. By buying birds that are diseased or not well all you are doing is perpetuating the practice and nothing will improve.  Leghorn I have one question for you did you complain to the mart. The rule of buying at marts is buyer beware, and ask yourself why are these birds so cheep. Allways buy the best you can.

With all due respect Bigchicken,I for one have only ever purchased some half a dozen times from auction,and it was my 1st time at Fabians. You can not always see every bird in a cage,especially when they cramp 7 or 8 birds into one. The selling of birds like this is rife,I have purchased normally from Melton,but you have to scrutinise every cage and this can be a problem due to the amount of people there.

My other point is that If I did not buy them,they would possibly end up in another auction or go back to where they come from and die an agonising death.    At least in my opinion,I can at least do my best for the birds and get them back into good health,is it not a waste of a life otherwise? 

I know that it is a problem,obviously there are always a few good birds at every auction,but there are still cages upon cages of abused birds.When I have bought from Melton,the RSPCA inspectors are there and stop the ill birds from being sold.However,as soon as they are not there for a day,things are back to normal...I am sure I am not the only person to complain but it is obviously overlooked because they are really only in it for the money. 

Yes,I have complained to Fabians and am awaiting a response,I only purchased the birds a few days ago and the two which have bad impacted crops were not obvious from outside the cages,only when I put them in their carry cages did I think,mm,that feels a bit large! But what do you do,pull them up at them the very first time you visit their auction-and risk being shown the door so to speak...I tend to stay away from altercations as know from previous experience they can get nasty. 

To be honest,I normally breed my own but I am a bit of a softie when it comes to our feathered friends,I really do love birds having 80 hens,30 ducks,6 Geese and a couple of Turkeys now,I did buy them for orders for Christmas,but after chatting with them for the last couple of days,you know,they are really quite beautiful and I do not think I have the heart..yes,you probably think I am pargle,but I'm afraid,I do not think I am going to change now

           

[doganjo]

I'd have done the same.  I got in a state about a Stirling auction a couple of years ago and wrote to them about the state of the birds.  Never even got a reply, just a sterotyped acknowledgement

[robert waddell]

with the poultry auctions in Scotland it is the same vendors that go round selling there fowl
the animal health people cant intervene till the public complain to them
i can understand that there are people that see a poor animal or bird and just have to care for it although i would not do it 

[Mel]

Robert,you know you are absolutely right,one person I saw at Fabians is also an employee of Melton-he takes the cash for the auctioneer! I had to look twice because I thought,I am sure I know him-different outfit,no blue coat etc,when he saw me look at him,he turned the other way!! I am sure these birds may well have already been in Melton..