ivermectin's effects on hatching eggs?

[rainplace]

I'll be using ivermectin tomorrow on our flock and am wondering how that might effect eggs they will be laying for hatching? I found a few short threads that had conflicting information. So I'm just as puzzled now as I was when I started looking

What has been your experience?

 

[kathyinmo]

No experience here, but I googled it, and I believe it said it can cause temporary infertility, among other things, but may be incorrect on that.

I remember reading that it is recommended to not hatch eggs for a few weeks though.

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
I think what Kathy says is right. I've used invermectin with a lot of different animals for several purposes and in all cases of cats, ferrets and rats it does lower the fertility/sperm count in males and females.
Invermectin ends roughly after two weeks of going threw the system. Fertility really shouldn't be a prime concern as far as effects should go.
Watch for the feces consistency, lethargic behavior, and depending on how long you plan on giving it, skin irritation.
I would not eat the eggs until two week or more has past. Nor would I suggest hatching them, invermectin does cause birth defects and messes with fetus and embryonic development in majority of warm blooded animals.

Overall it's a fairly harmless drug when used right however taken too long and in too large of quantities it really can cause some massive damage and easily kill.
The main sign that should tell you that the invermectin is wreaking havoc and should be stopped is extremely watery stool (or no stool at all), lethargy and weakness of the muscle/body.
I am not sure if this applies to chickens but I do know that an overdose will induce drooling and overall confusion/haziness along with weakened muscles.
Having only seen one overdose of a live bearing species I can't quite say how a chicken would react so just watch for anything strange.

 

[rainplace]

I'm not so much worried about fertility as I am about birth defects. My geese are seasonal layers and I'm afraid if I pull their eggs I won't get more, however if the ivermectin causes birth defects, I'll go ahead and pull them regardless.

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
I would pull them for the sake of the animal inside the eggs.