Albendazole administration

[monicabendele]

I have 21 chickens and I haven't dosed orally before. My plan, from a friend, is to go in at night and take them off the roost, one-by-one, and do the oral drench with a syringe while holding each in my lap. I did not get a fecal done, but I have multiple dirty butts forming and already did 5 days of Corrid.

I tried dosing Albendazole with drenched bread, first. I only got four chickens to take this four days ago. Because of Christmas, I'm delayed on dosing the other 17, but plan to do it tonight. However, The bread cubes drenched with Albendazole for the remaining 17 dried, but I still have it. Is it ok to try and administer these cubes, still, several days later? Would they still be potent? Before I do the nighttime in the beak dosing, I'd like to try the left over cubes and not waste those doses.

thanks, monica bendele

 

[coach723]

I've really no idea if the medication would be effective after drying or not, I would be inclined to think not. I would just do the direct dosing to be sure that you got the appropriate dose in each of them. I do mine early in the morning, just go out before first light. I do about 2 dozen birds in about half an hour. It gets easier with practice. If you have any that don't like to be held you can wrap them in a bath towel like a burrito to help hold their wings, with their head sticking out while you dose. Make sure you shake the bottle well before drawing up a dose, it settles out.

 

[monicabendele]

Thanks so much. Do you slowly put into bottom of beak, or straight into the throat? I am nervous about aspiration.

 

[coach723]

I put it in the bottom of the beak, no more than .5ml at a time and let them swallow it.
You can do in the back of the throat, good instructions with pictures here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
If I have to administer a lot, or to a very sick bird that isn't eating or drinking well, swallowing is iffy, then I always do it this way.

 

[monicabendele]

thanks isn't .5ml the dose for worming a normal chicken (not bantam)

 

[coach723]

You are correct. Correct dose is 20mg/kg. The actual dosing math to dose by lbs is: weight in lbs/2.2 X 20/113.6 = dose.
Works out to about .2 ml per 2.2lbs of bird weight. A 2 lb bird would get .16 ml. A 5 lb bird would get .4 ml. Most people round to .5 ml for a standard sized bird.