I think my chickens have scaly leg, the scales on their legs are bumpy or raised and a bit crusty looking. How can I fix this?
Scaly Leg in chickens is a disease caused by parasitic mite that burrows under the scales on the legs. It is highly contagious with the mites easily spreading via contact. To treat scaly leg you can use an oil like vegetable oil or petroleum jelly and rub it into the legs, every couple of days, which stops the mites from being able to breathe. You could also obtain from your veterinarian an ivermectin based drop that you can apply to the legs to kill the mite. You can also wash the legs with a gentle soapy water to remove the loose scabby scales. These processes will need to be continued for a number of weeks to completely eliminate the mite.
You should also clean the nesting boxes, pens, perches and everything that the chickens may have contact with. You should use a product to kill the mites like Maldison 50, and for safety reasons be sure to follow the directions on the product.