How do i use ivermectin on my chickens? (Mites) or what is most powerful mite killer

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

I've never used Ivermectin. I know it's a powerful med, and must be used carefully according to strict guidelines for poultry.

I feel much more comfortable using Elector for leg mites. I mix up a solution and soak the legs and feet for ten minutes, and that's it. They're good to go, and no further treatments are usually necessary.

Will start researching elector. My feed store does not have it.

 

[azygous]

Elector is only available online. I got mine from amazon. Don't know if they still carry it.

 

[Phillyndilly]

Ivermectin didn’t work on my northern fowl mite infestation we are going on a year now of on and off mites. We got up to double the dose of ivermectin oral and topical- u can try but I’ve read it really doesn’t help with nfm.
I’m wondering about elector psp as well compared to permethrin because that hasn’t helped either..

Are northern fowl all over your coop as well or have you only seen them in the nesting boxes?
I never ever see mine in the coop and I’ve looked super close at everything all times of day and my eyes are pretty good but they are all over the birds.. I’m beginning to think I have some crazy hybrid super mite.

 

[cmom]

I've read a while ago about injectable ivermectin given orally to poultry. I believe I have northern fowl mites.

DONT SAY PERMETHRIN! I got the most potent 13% permethrin and mixed it stronger than recommended and 4 days in a row she is covered in bugs. I'm tired of attacking my birds day after day chasing them with sprayers and dusters. Permethrin is a waste of my time and money.

Any other recommendations?
Thanks

How strong did you mix the permethrin? Elector PSP is quite expensive. I have had great success with permethrin. Here are some charts for the different strengths a BYC member made. I mixed mine at 0.5%. These are per gallon. for permethrin 13.3, 5.5oz per gallon.

 

[cmom]

Also some say one treatment is enough with elector psp but their fact sheet also says additional treatments may be needed.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ivermectin didn’t work on my northern fowl mite infestation we are going on a year now of on and off mites. We got up to double the dose of ivermectin oral and topical- u can try but I’ve read it really doesn’t help with nfm.
I’m wondering about elector psp as well compared to permethrin because that hasn’t helped either..

Are northern fowl all over your coop as well or have you only seen them in the nesting boxes?
I never ever see mine in the coop and I’ve looked super close at everything all times of day and my eyes are pretty good but they are all over the birds.. I’m beginning to think I have some crazy hybrid super mite.

Unless the mites are eradicated from housing, you will continue to have an infestation on your birds. Ivermectin alone can only do so much.
Treat your housing. Mites live behind walls, in cracks/crevices and come out to feed at night. I bet if you go out at night with a flashlight and look around, you will find them.

 

[Phillyndilly]

Unless the mites are eradicated from housing, you will continue to have an infestation on your birds. Ivermectin alone can only do so much.
Treat your housing. Mites live behind walls, in cracks/crevices and come out to feed at night. I bet if you go out at night with a flashlight and look around, you will find them.

Wyorp rock I have all but burned down my housing... literally this time have taken the blow torch to it and burned every area I soaked it with permethrin multiple times. I’ve power washed it let it dry and then soaked it with permethrin spray and then let it dry and powdered it.. etc .... used sevin dust as well this time was going to use sevin spray but got the wrong one.

It wasn’t ivermectin alone it was with all of those things as well... I’m wondering if elector will work
I’m just in the same mite covered boat as @WhyDoILikeChickens these things are just relentless and I feel horrible flipping my birds almost upside down staring into their butt feathers every 5 minutes

 

[cmom]

If you do have mites permethrin is my go to treatment. It has worked well for me. I have posted this before. I used poultry dust on the birds and in their nest boxes and sprayed inside of the coops, every crack and crevice, on and under the roosts, ceiling, walls, floors, anywhere the pests can hide. It's best to clean out the coop before you spray. I use pine shavings in my coops. I wear special clothing including a mask and gloves. I do weekly sprayings for awhile and put permethrin dust in the nest boxes, originally I sprayed the birds getting under the wings and worked it through their feathers with gloves which you can also do with the dust. If you dust the birds, do it until they look like a powdered doughnut. Permethrin only kill live pests, not the pests eggs. TSC and Amazon carries the permethrin powder, premixed spray bottles and the concentrate. I use the concentrate. It did not affect the birds but I did keep them out of the coops while it dried. I spray my coops as needed and when I spray I do weekly spraying for 3 or 4 weeks then stop as I don't want the pests to develop a resistance to the permethrin. Repeated weekly spraying is necessary because again, it does not kill the pests eggs and as an added benefit is there is no egg withdrawal period. There are other products available but much more expensive, and in my opinion the permethrin works great. Good luck...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...st-powerful-mite-killer.1449882/post-24150797

 

[cmom]

I use a headlamp and go out to the coops after the birds have gone to roost and then I have both hands free to inspect the birds.

 

[Folly's place]

I wonder if your permethrin is old and has lost potency. If we mix ours in the plastic sprayer and leave it for more than a week or so, it looses potency. And the Gordon's concentrate changes color over time, and has an expiration date.
Spinosad will work, is expensive, and as everyone has mentioned, whatever you do, the coop has to be emptied and treated too.
Here we have wild house wrens invading the coop daily, and they bring mites inside with them. It's a royal pain!
In the USA, and many other places, Ivermectin is not approved for use on chickens, which makes the official egg withdrawal time forever. It works very well for a lot of parasites, and is easy to use, and many people who do use it throw eggs away for varying numbers of days, anything from one to four week is typical.
Nothing will work if the bedding issue isn't dealt with.
Mary