What can i add to drinking water to kill mites

[dazz02]

I want to add something to my poultry's water to kill anything that they shouldn't have. I think this would be quicker than treating each bird individually. I want something proven for poultry rather than just old wives tales. I've heard of ivermectin but i only have the cattle pour on type, would this do? Also what dosage would be needed?

 

[appps]

I'm a little confused. You want to treat them for stuff in case they have it?

 

[dazz02]

i am quite sure that they have mites. They seem fine however i cleaned their perch and the bark came off it and there were mites underneath. I now want to kill any that may go on the birds at night. I have just cleaned out the entire shed so that's a start. Any ideas of what i can add to my birds water that will get in to their blood stream and kill the mites when they drink the blood.

 

[War Chicken]

Well, ivermectin and moxidectin are the drugs you want but they're basically water insoluble. There are some versions that use an emulsifier or solubilizer so it can be put in drinking water but they're marketed for pet birds and may be too expensive to use for chickens. S76 or Moxidectin Plus by the Australian Pigeon Company. http://www.siegelpigeons.com/catalog-Australian.html

You could probably use vodka to emulsify Quest paste and put that in the water.

Another option is a pour-on application where a drench or injectable version of the drug is applied to the bare skin. Cydectin, Ivomec, etc. There is a pet bird version, SCATT.

One last option is to hide a little bit of Quest or Quest Plus paste in a treat and feed each bird. You would have to do two treatments 10-14 days apart.

Ivermectin resistance has been going up over the years so it's sometimes ineffective. It also has to be given much more frequently whereas moxidectin has a much longer half-life.

 

[dazz02]

thanks war chicken, do you know the dosage of ivermectin pour on 0.5% strength that i should giver my hens

 

[War Chicken]

0.2 mg/kg and 0.5% is 5 mg/ml so 0.12 ml for a 3 kg bird. It's very non-toxic to most mammals and birds so precise dosing isn't necessary. Instructions for 1% ivermectin say to apply 1 drop per 500 g of body weight so you would use two drops per 500 g.

 

[chickengirl1234]

The best things to do is if you have plenty of time is wash your coop frequently especially in the summer because first when the spring comes and it gets hotter that's when the mites form and then they usually die off from the cold by fall or winter. And then there's this special type of powder to apply to your coop and to your chickens to get rid of the mutes immediately. This powder dries up the mites within minutes. Are you sure it's mites? Have you checked deep in the chickens feathers?

 

[dazz02]

0.2 mg/kg and 0.5% is 5 mg/ml so 0.12 ml for a 3 kg bird. It's very non-toxic to most mammals and birds so precise dosing isn't necessary. Instructions for 1% ivermectin say to apply 1 drop per 500 g of body weight so you would use two drops per 500 g.

Sorry to sound stupid but what unit is "mg" as you put "0.2 mg/kg and 0.5% is 5 mg/ml" Also how much is 1 drop if i were to use the 1% strength ivermectin? Why would i use 2 drops if it says 1.

How often do i need to apply it?

 

[War Chicken]

Milligrams. You would use twice as many drops because your ivermectin is half the concentration. As for frequency, I see anything from 1-2 weeks in between.

 

[Willowpark4]

I Too have been looking at this but been suggested to try Peroxide in the water? Have read a few articles here on mite treatments all very good but some not avail in NZ.