Ivermectin 1% Injectable Question

[abbey808]

Hello all! First I want to apologize... I know this question has been brought up many times in past threads. I've been reading through the archives on this topic and it seems as if the more I read, the more conflicting answers I get.

I would like to treat 20 birds (two standard and 18 bantam) for worms, mites and lice. It's been six months since they were last wormed and I have recently seen creepy crawly bugs on them. I've read good things about Ivermectin as a solution for both problems. Unfortunately, my local feed store only carries the Ivermectin 1% injectable type. The fellow at the feed store told me to give it to my chickens by mouth, though he didn't give me the dosages (told me to look it up, I understand the off-label usage thing). My questions are:

1. What are the correct dosages for standard and bantam sized birds if given by mouth?

2. I've also read that it can be mixed into their water? Is this way better and what is the correct mixture ratio?

3. What is the egg withdrawal time period?

Thank you so much in advance! The creepy crawly bugs are really grossing me out and I would like to get rid of them as soon as possible before it gets worse. I am just worried about using a new product without instructions. I don't want to hurt my chickens by overdosing them.

 

[Baggagolers]

I can't help you with the worming part, but I have read that sevin dust works for the creepy crawly bugs. You need to do the coop also.

 

[MakNat]

I think you put a drop on there skin on the back of their neck. Like where you apply one spot on dogs. Its 1/2 a cc for the bantams and 1 cc for standards. Withdrawl is up to you. They use Ivermectin for humans too. Personally I'd at least wait a week. One good way not to waste them, is to boil the eggs and just feed them back to the chickens. 7 dust or DE works well for the lice and mites too. Hope this helps.

 

[dawg53]

I think you put a drop on there skin on the back of their neck. Like where you apply one spot on dogs. Its 1/2 a cc for the bantams and 1 cc for standards. Withdrawl is up to you. They use Ivermectin for humans too. Personally I'd at least wait a week. One good way not to waste them, is to boil the eggs and just feed them back to the chickens. 7 dust or DE works well for the lice and mites too. Hope this helps.

You are thinking of ivermectin pour on, not the injectable. The injectable works against mites well, but wont kill worms in chickens. The ivermectin pour on is placed on bare skin on the back of the neck and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, about 1/2cc for standard size birds. The ivermectin pour on will kill most worms, but not all, and it will kill mites as well. Normally there's a 14 day withdrawal period. You dont want to feed the eggs back to the chickens. There's residue in the eggs that can extend the withdrawal period, not to mention future wormer resistance to the product. This is why the injectable doesnt work in chickens, overusage as a miteacide instead of its primary purpose as a wormer as evidenced in this link:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0450.1989.tb00635.x/abstract

 

[MakNat]

Oh thanks. Its all so confusing. I just wazined mine, then 2 weeks later I used the horse paste ivermectin in water. I hope that will be ok. Also, Mine dust in ashes with DE and some 7, so the mites and lice aren't a problem. Battling canker in my best rooster right now too.

 

[dawg53]

Oh thanks. Its all so confusing. I just wazined mine, then 2 weeks later I used the horse paste ivermectin in water. I hope that will be ok. Also, Mine dust in ashes with DE and some 7, so the mites and lice aren't a problem. Battling canker in my best rooster right now too.

Ivermectin paste in water... I dont know how you did that and got it to dissolve, stirred it alot? Pastes can be given orally, a "pea" size amount on a piece of bread for example for standard size birds, small "pea" size amount for smaller birds. The only thing is that you have to give the treated bread to each bird individually one at a time and keeping them seperated from each other or they will try to steal the bread from each other. Then you wont know who got properly dosed, not to mention possible overdosing.
I dont care for water soluable wormers. I'd use them as a last resort. Sick birds rarely drink it and even with healthy birds may not drink enough of it to be effective. Also chickens drink less water in cooler temps.
I read your post regarding the canker issue.

 

[abbey808]

You are thinking of ivermectin pour on, not the injectable. The injectable works against mites well, but wont kill worms in chickens. The ivermectin pour on is placed on bare skin on the back of the neck and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, about 1/2cc for standard size birds. The ivermectin pour on will kill most worms, but not all, and it will kill mites as well. Normally there's a 14 day withdrawal period. You dont want to feed the eggs back to the chickens. There's residue in the eggs that can extend the withdrawal period, not to mention future wormer resistance to the product. This is why the injectable doesnt work in chickens, overusage as a miteacide instead of its primary purpose as a wormer as evidenced in this link:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0450.1989.tb00635.x/abstract

Thank you dawg53 and fellow BYC members for your responses! Unfortunately, I already purchased the Ivermectin 1% injectable and can't return it. Should I just use it to kill the mites and lice and use a separate wormer? I have Wormazole (fenbendazole) capsules. I would hate to combine the two strong medications though. I could just do what I did last time, fenbendazole and Sevin dust repeating the two ten days later. I would also treat the coop and dusting areas with the Sevin as well. I could just chalk up the Ivermectin 1% as a $56.00 loss... sigh...

 

[Maryallison]

I just read this and it has helped me too. Thanks!

 

[Vegan]

I don't know where you live, but in Ontario, my vet administered "Ivomec Injection" at the nape of the neck (as described above). It is an off-label use, and I believe he said to dispose of the eggs for 14 days after the last dose. He gave me the dose for follow-up, ten days later. This was for 2 ex-battery hens, which had 2 types of lice and bird mites, and he assumed they would have worms too. My receipt says dosage of 0.50 ml per bird, per treatment. It seems the 'injection' is only used topically in chickens. Perhaps cows actually do get injected, given their larger body size (and much thicker skin).

 

[casportpony]

I don't know where you live, but in Ontario, my vet administered "Ivomec Injection" at the nape of the neck (as described above). It is an off-label use, and I believe he said to dispose of the eggs for 14 days after the last dose. He gave me the dose for follow-up, ten days later. This was for 2 ex-battery hens, which had 2 types of lice and bird mites, and he assumed they would have worms too. My receipt says dosage of 0.50 ml per bird, per treatment. It seems the 'injection' is only used topically in chickens. Perhaps cows actually do get injected, given their larger body size (and much thicker skin).

Welcome to BYC!​

In poultry, people use the 1% injectable orally, topically and they also inject it. There is also a 5% pour-on that people use topically in poultry.

-Kathy