This morning we treated our chooks' legs for scale. We've noticed for a few days that Ted, the rooster has been showing symptoms of scale. It's obviously irritating him as there were reddened patches on the legs.
We did all the chooks one by one (accompanied by much chook raucous noise!)
Dipped them in a warm disinfectant brew, dried the feet and then rubbed in vaseline to smother the scale. We'll repeat the performance in about 1-2 weeks. About once a year we paint out the whole chook house to deter any mites that might be lurking.
This morning the chooks were NOT at all impressed by all this "carry-on" and acted as though they consider it a major insult to their dignity! :mwhistle:
Do you need to treat your chooks' legs, how often and what do you use?

I have had chickens now for about 5 years and guess I have been very luck. They have never been sick although once they did get lice and I used Sevin dust on them. That cleared it right up.My chickens are slowly dying off and I've not been replacing them. I will miss the eggs when I do baking though.

Well, it doesn't take much to get those ol roosters rilled! They are "cocky" aren't they?

I used seven dust on my chickens for mites. Mites can do a lot of damage to their legs.

Susie in MN

Scale has been a non-issue for us. I have heard of others having to deal with it, though.

Yeah, I've heard it can be a problem but in over 10 years of chook keeping, we've been lucky enough to not have it.

Maggie, Your chook "pedicure" sounds like so much fun (LOL). Wish I could have been there to see it. Maybe they will forget before the next time you have to do it, otherwise I can see them running in the opposite direction.

You would be well entertained, Pat! believe me!! LOL
It is certainly a bit of a "rodeo".
We used to do it at night when we had the advantage of "surprise" for catching them! But we've changed to day-time now as the challenges of holding a torch as well as a struggling hen, while I did the legs, were all a bit much for DH and his language got a bit too colourful! :hurray:

Maggie,

Have you tried making a hook to catch you Chooks? It works well and they really aremuch calmer hanging while you treat them. I do theis when I trim their wings. I have a thick wire that has been bent into a "v" at the end. Put tape or something to cover the end so they don't get cut when trying to snag them.