Ivermectin dosing

[sarahbobo]

Hi, I have 4 chickens, and took 2 of them to the vet for scaly leg mites. Vet gave them their first ivermectin dose and sent me home with lots more. But she said she couldn't tell us how to give the other two birds their first dose, because she'd need to see them in order to dose them. (I'm guessing it's a legality issue). I thought I could figure out the dosing for them on my own, based on their weight, but after doing research I'm a little confused.

The prescription bottle of ivermectin says to give 0.03ml to my 3 pound hens, for their second dose. But on the chicken sites, I'm seeing to give 0.1mg per pound, which should equal 0.003ml for a 3 pound hen. I'm guessing that the solution is diluted 10:1 so that it works out to hundredths of a ml rather than thousandths.

Should I use the equivalent of my hens' weight in hundredths of milliliters? For example, I have one who I'm guessing is about 5 pounds, so she would get 0.05ml. I have another who I'm guessing is also 3 pounds, so she would also get 0.03ml.

I'm nervous about doing this since overdosing them would be toxic, but another vet appointment would be very expensive. And treating their scaly leg mites using the smothering method or other methods isn't an option right now (I'd need a helper and don't have one currently).

 

[Aunt Angus]

I feel your pain. Is this pour on?

I give 0.1 mL for every 2 lbs of bird of the pour on.

Be sure to clean and treat the entire coop, too, and repeat after 10 days. There is also an egg withdrawal time. But it worked for my birds.

 

[sarahbobo]

I feel your pain. Is this pour on?

I'm glad I'm not alone in the struggle haha. No, it's oral, administered with a syringe.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'm glad I'm not alone in the struggle haha. No, it's oral, administered with a syringe.

Oh, shoot. I just updated my post for pour on. My internet is painfully slow, so I apologize. I'll search BYC for the oral dosage, but you'll probably find it faster - haha! Just search Ivermectin oral.

I'll try to post what I find.

 

[casportpony]

The prescription bottle of ivermectin says to give 0.03ml to my 3 pound hens, for their second dose.

That is the conservative dose of 0.2 mg/kg. I usually use the 1 mg/kg amount

If you want to follow your vets directions, use 0.01 ml per pound.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I just found the thread I wanted, also by @casportpony:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mites-lice-now-hen-growling.1242981/post-19965544

 

[casportpony]

I just found the thread I wanted, also by @casportpony:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mites-lice-now-hen-growling.1242981/post-19965544

That shows the min and max doses.

 

[Aunt Angus]

That shows the min and max doses.

I forgot I have it bookmarked, along with a couple others. Super helpful! I actually wrote the min/max doses on the bottle (pour on) for easy reference. I have a large spread of weights in my flock (from 1lb 1oz up to 9lb 3oz). I always weigh them just prior to administering, though!

 

[sarahbobo]

That is the conservative dose of 0.2 mg/kg. I usually use the 1 mg/kg amount

If you want to follow your vets directions, use 0.1 ml per pound.

Okay, so that's ten times what's marked on the syringe and written on the bottle. Is the second dose a tenth of the first or something? Help I'm so confused!

 

[casportpony]

Okay, so that's ten times what's marked on the syringe and written on the bottle. Is the second dose a tenth of the first or something? Help I'm so confused!

Hold on...

The prescription bottle of ivermectin says to give 0.03ml to my 3 pound hens, for their second dose.

Does the bottle say this?