Common Parasites in Backyard Chickens

Last year, when we got Hazel, little did I know but she had two of the most common parasites in backyard chickens – lice and scaly leg mites. I was new to backyard chickens and had no idea what signs to look for. When we decided to add additional birds to our flock, I knew I wanted a Golden Laced. They are just gorgeous!

We quarantined the new birds. I knew that much and the following day I gave her a chicken check-up. That’s when we discovered the lice! Then I noticed that the scales on her legs were rough and raised and her legs looked thick. It was scaly leg mites! OMG!

I started doing a lot of research on common parasites in backyard chickens.

Scaly Leg Mites

Scaly leg mites are pretty easy to diagnose. They live under the scales on the chicken’s feet and legs. You won’t be able to see them, but you’ll know if your bird’s scales are raised.

Your chicken’s leg will look rough, scabby, or possibly crusty. They burrow under the scales and eat the tissue and skin. The scales and legs will be sensitive, and your bird may be limping. If not treated, it can cause deformities, loss of toes, and even death.

The first thing I did was apply a good amount of Vaseline to Hazel’s legs to suffocate the mites. Then I decided to reassess in the morning. (I was a little overwhelmed and freaked out).

How to Treat

Depending on the severity, you may need to soak the legs in warm water to loosen the scales. Some people will also use a soft toothbrush. Just be gentle and don’t pull the scales off. With Hazel, I just let them fall off naturally.

I applied Vaseline in the morning and evening for three days. Then repeated each week for three weeks. Make sure you get up to where the feathers start. We treated the other girls with Vaseline, for good measure, but luckily, no one else got them.

It’s a good idea to treat the chicken coop also. Some parasites require a live host, but scaly leg mites can survive without it. We used Manna Pro Poultry Protector.

We could tell pretty quickly that the Vaseline was working. The crusty scales were falling off and her legs no longer looked thick. Man, was I glad this worked.

Other Treatment Options

If the Vaseline doesn’t work, there are several other options. You can soak the legs in vegetable oil, olive oil, mineral or linseed oil. Next use a soft toothbrush and brush the oil into the scales then apply a thick coat of Vaseline. This helps loosen the scales up even more so the Vaseline can get down in there.

Some people swear by dipping the legs in gasoline. I just couldn’t do this! Although if it was between losing a bird and this method, I would. This is a three-day treatment. No need to repeat each week. On the first day, dip the legs in gasoline. Don’t scrub. Allow to completely dry then apply A&D original diaper crème ointment. Purchase the cheap gasoline no need for high octane. The gasoline gets under the scales, killing adult lice and nits. The A&D promotes healing. On day 2, no gasoline just use the A&D ointment. Then on day 3, repeat day 1 treatment.  

Scaly leg mites are more prevalent in the Spring and Summer and they are transmitted by wild birds and mice. Their life span is three weeks so it’s important to do the Vaseline treatment at least this long to kill any nits that hatch.   

Your birds may lose weight and you may see a drop in egg production.

Lice

At some point your birds will come in contact with lice. A dirt bath area is a must have for prevention. Lice are also spread by wild birds.  

You will see lice on the vent area, under the wings, on the breast, and the feather part of the legs. The eggs will be attached to the feather shaft close to the body. Lice suck the blood of the bird causing anemia and sometimes death. Your bird may be withdrawn and lethargic. In worse cases, their combs will be dull and pale.

We first used a poultry spray on birds. Herb sprayed the vent, under the wings, and the neck and breast area then we repeated this each week for three weeks. The eggs hatch in 5 days so a second treatment was probably all that was necessary but since I was treating for scaly leg mites….why not.

Our chickens didn’t really like the spray. I’m sure because it was wet and cold, so we purchased poultry dust and applied a month later as a preventative. The birds were much calmer using this treatment. We applied in the same areas: vent, under the wings, and under the neck.   I’ll use this if we ever have to treat in the future.

Lice can live a week off the host so you should also treat the coop and roost. I used the poultry spray and when it dried, I sprinkled DE around the baseboards and in the corners of the hen house.

Life span of lice is 4-6 weeks. Your birds may be scratching and experience weight loss as well.  

Northern Fowl Mite

Northern Fowl Mites can be seen crawling on eggs in the nest or in the vent area of your chicken. The skin in the vent area may be crusty, scabby or look soiled around the feathers. The Northern Fowl Mite will lay eggs on the shaft of the feather and leave excrement at the base near the skin.

Northern Fowl mite eggs hatch within a day. They generally live for a week on the bird but can live two months off the host. They are more prevalent in winter and will cause anemia and even death.  

Tropical Fowl Mite, seen in Texas, resembles the Northern Fowl mite and found mostly in the nest.

Chicken mites

Chicken mites also known as the Red Mite or Roost Mite are commonly carried by sparrows. Its life span is 10 days but can live in the coop for 6 months. They live in the coop, on roost bars, behind nest boxes and in cracks and crevices. You may see them crawling on the eggs after being laid.

Chicken mites feed on the bird at night and hide in the coop during the day. Because they can live off the chicken, the coop area needs to be treated. Ivermectin is effective but can be expensive depending on the how large the area is that needs to be treated. A high-pressure sprayer is a good option.

If you use Ivermectin, it has an egg withdrawal period of 7 days. Any eggs laid during this time need to be thrown away.  

Your chicken’s feathers may look worn or broken. They may even lose their feathers.

Prevention

To help fight off common parasites a lot of people will add garlic to their chicken’s feed. It’s thought that parasites don’t like the way garlic taste. Garlic has many medicinal properties, so in addition to parasites, your birds will get an added health benefit.  

Neem Oil is another natural pesticide that can help battle common parasites. The Bearded Rooster uses it in his garden instead of commercial pesticides. Great to use to treat the coop area.

To try and get ahead of parasites, be diligent in keeping the coop clean. When cleaning, I look for any creepie crawlies. I add food grade DE as a preventative in the coop and around the fence areas.

I’ve recently started putting it in their food to help cut down on flies. The food grade is okay if digested but there’s a lot of discussion if it’s helpful once it’s swallowed.

One of the best defenses against mites and lice is a dust bath area. Our chickens love to dust bathe. If you don’t set one up, they will usually find a place. Ours took over an area where my husband was growing vegetables. I’m going to set up an additional one in the coop with a small plastic kiddie pool. With all the rain we’ve had, their dust bath area is muddy, and they’ve missed bathing many days.

What to look for with common parasites for backyard chickens

• Bald spots
• Scabs on skin
• Dirty looking vent area
• Feathers appear broken or ragged
• Scratching more than the regular preening
• Loss of weight
• Lethargy or Fatigue
• Comb is pale

If you spend a little time each day with your chickens, you’ll recognize the signs of mites and lice. Look for any behavior out of the ordinary. I’m constantly eyeing their fluffy butts.

If you see any wounds, be sure and address and check out my blog on wound care.