Bravecto Plus for red mites on chickens?

[Liz Birdlover]

Hi, can I talk with someone that has used Bravecto Plus Spot treatment (small dose for cats) to address red mites on chickens? I saw a few posts on here & sent messages but haven't heard back yet. I just have a few questions. (I'd prefer to use Exzolt but it's not available here)

 

[Eggcessive]

There is a man on BYC who uses Frontline on his chickens, but most of those things are not approved for poultry. You could check with your vet, but I doubt if they would say it is okay because of liability. Permethrin dust, spray or the concentrate mixed with water is commonly used, and the more expensive Elector PSP are safe if used correctly. The coop bedding should be removed, coop, nests, and roosts should be treated with the spray. Sulfur powder is also used by some.

 

[Debbi H]

Hi, can I talk with someone that has used Bravecto Plus Spot treatment (small dose for cats) to address red mites on chickens? I saw a few posts on here & sent messages but haven't heard back yet. I just have a few questions. (I'd prefer to use Exzolt but it's not available here)

I know this is quite awhile ago that you asked about this. But I am just now researching this same thing. Apparently Exzolt is still not available here, even though it is the same fluralaner that is in Bravecto! I was wondering the same thing about using Bravecto drops on the chickens since everything I've read about Exzolt says it keeps mites away from the chickens for about six months, which would be wonderful. Either way, it would need a prescription, though. I'm going to ask my vet if it's possible for her to prescribe Bravecto for my chickens. Not holding out much hope but never hurts to ask.

 

[Debbie292d]

I know this is quite awhile ago that you asked about this. But I am just now researching this same thing. Apparently Exzolt is still not available here, even though it is the same fluralaner that is in Bravecto! I was wondering the same thing about using Bravecto drops on the chickens since everything I've read about Exzolt says it keeps mites away from the chickens for about six months, which would be wonderful. Either way, it would need a prescription, though. I'm going to ask my vet if it's possible for her to prescribe Bravecto for my chickens. Not holding out much hope but never hurts to ask.

A lot of us hope that someday they'll make a lot of things they make for livestock and/or dogs and cats, for our chickens. If someone went into business doing that, they'd never be rich though as it's a small percentage of us really that care enough to purchase things to protect or cure our chickens.

 

[Eggcessive]

The problem with a lot of things being used to treat mites or lice in chickens, is that you would not be able to eat the eggs. I would use the things that are already commonly used and effective. Prozac permethrin garden dust, permethrin 0.5% spray, and elector PSP are ones that are easy to get in the US. Ivermectin pour on is also used, but it does require a month egg withdrawal time.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

A lot of us hope that someday they'll make a lot of things they make for livestock and/or dogs and cats, for our chickens. If someone went into business doing that, they'd never be rich though as it's a small percentage of us really that care enough to purchase things to protect or cure our chickens.

There are quite a few people I know personally that care very much for their flocks. I do see a difference in those folks who have egg layers vs. livestock for the meat. Friendly egg layers can be thought of as pets easily. Mine all live ripe old ages.

The mites are a real hassle. I check my birds over, most are clean, but every so often a couple will have mites bad & usually it is a Rooster & the fav hen of that Roo, since when he is close to her, the mites on him will get on her.

I have used the Bronco spray on both Chickens a few years & my Homing Pigeons for over 20yrs with good results. Many old timers used the old Sevin dust, but that stuff ends up getting inhaled by us & the birds, not to mention it was toxic. I heard Sevin dust changed their formula, the old timers were grumbling it does not work on mites or lice anymore. I told them I spray mine with the Bronco spray & rub it down under feathers, onto the skin, with my fingers. The bird just assumes it is getting some pets & affection. It smells nice & it does work. I have to check the birds again in a week or so, but hey, it is better than most other stuff out there. No ill effects. Just do not try it on cats. It works for horses, chickens, pigeons & dogs.
I do hope something better will be invented, but for now, Bronco it is.

Ivermectin is just way expensive it is not good to get a lot on your skin, either.

Ingredients of Bronco

 

[Debbie292d]

There are quite a few people I know personally that care very much for their flocks. I do see a difference in those folks who have egg layers vs. livestock for the meat. Friendly egg layers can be thought of as pets easily. Mine all live ripe old ages.

The mites are a real hassle. I check my birds over, most are clean, but every so often a couple will have mites bad & usually it is a Rooster & the fav hen of that Roo, since when he is close to her, the mites on him will get on her.

I have used the Bronco spray on both Chickens a few years & my Homing Pigeons for over 20yrs with good results. Many old timers used the old Sevin dust, but that stuff ends up getting inhaled by us & the birds, not to mention it was toxic. I heard Sevin dust changed their formula, the old timers were grumbling it does not work on mites or lice anymore. I told them I spray mine with the Bronco spray & rub it down under feathers, onto the skin, with my fingers. The bird just assumes it is getting some pets & affection. It smells nice & it does work. I have to check the birds again in a week or so, but hey, it is better than most other stuff out there. No ill effects. Just do not try it on cats. It works for horses, chickens, pigeons & dogs.
I do hope something better will be invented, but for now, Bronco it is.

Ivermectin is just way expensive it is not good to get a lot on your skin, either.

Ingredients of Bronco
View attachment 3964661

I'm one of those people who's always used food-grade diatomaceous earth and don't have issues (8 years). These chickens hang out with the squirrels and chipmunks, yet we have never had them, ALBEIT, SLM thrice! For SLM (scaley leg mites), we used Vaseline the first two times, and the third time last fall, we used Ivermectin. Hubby did not hold off on the eggs, saying maybe it'll cure something in him.

Well, it's been nearly a year, and he's still here.

 

[Debbi H]

There are quite a few people I know personally that care very much for their flocks. I do see a difference in those folks who have egg layers vs. livestock for the meat. Friendly egg layers can be thought of as pets easily. Mine all live ripe old ages.

The mites are a real hassle. I check my birds over, most are clean, but every so often a couple will have mites bad & usually it is a Rooster & the fav hen of that Roo, since when he is close to her, the mites on him will get on her.

I have used the Bronco spray on both Chickens a few years & my Homing Pigeons for over 20yrs with good results. Many old timers used the old Sevin dust, but that stuff ends up getting inhaled by us & the birds, not to mention it was toxic. I heard Sevin dust changed their formula, the old timers were grumbling it does not work on mites or lice anymore. I told them I spray mine with the Bronco spray & rub it down under feathers, onto the skin, with my fingers. The bird just assumes it is getting some pets & affection. It smells nice & it does work. I have to check the birds again in a week or so, but hey, it is better than most other stuff out there. No ill effects. Just do not try it on cats. It works for horses, chickens, pigeons & dogs.
I do hope something better will be invented, but for now, Bronco it is.

Ivermectin is just way expensive it is not good to get a lot on your skin, either.

Ingredients of Bronco
View attachment 3964661

The problem for me with permethrin is that it is toxic to cats and I have two that hang around the chicken coop. Also, I've got around 50 chickens, so hard to catch and rub in spray on all of them, even once they're on the roost, because there's always one that starts a fuss and all of a sudden everyone is off the roosts and I don't know who got treated.
The easiest thing I've found is to use a "poofer" with a mix of DE, sulfur powder, dry spinosad (same stuff in Elector), and at least get that "blown up their skirts" while they're on the roosts.
When I had less chickens, I did give each of them a dip in warm water with spinosad in it on a hot day so they could dry off easily. But my flock is too big now.
I am currently trying an experiment (started today) with spinosad in their drinking water. It's the same ingredient in oral flea/tick meds for dogs so I'm hoping it's okay for the hens to ingest. I'll let you know how that goes.
We just keep getting mite infestations over and over even though I clean the pen and change the shavings in the nest boxes. I pressure wash the whole pen, henhouse, everything once a year, and every two weeks I'm spraying a mix of elector and PestOut (oils of clove, cottonseed, garlic) over the whole pen, roosts, henhouse, EVERYTHING!
It has just gotten to the point that I'm at my wit's end trying to keep these girls comfortable and healthy and the mites are making all of us crazy. They are even biting me and making me itch!

 

[Debbie292d]

The problem for me with permethrin is that it is toxic to cats and I have two that hang around the chicken coop. Also, I've got around 50 chickens, so hard to catch and rub in spray on all of them, even once they're on the roost, because there's always one that starts a fuss and all of a sudden everyone is off the roosts and I don't know who got treated.
The easiest thing I've found is to use a "poofer" with a mix of DE, sulfur powder, dry spinosad (same stuff in Elector), and at least get that "blown up their skirts" while they're on the roosts.
When I had less chickens, I did give each of them a dip in warm water with spinosad in it on a hot day so they could dry off easily. But my flock is too big now.
I am currently trying an experiment (started today) with spinosad in their drinking water. It's the same ingredient in oral flea/tick meds for dogs so I'm hoping it's okay for the hens to ingest. I'll let you know how that goes.
We just keep getting mite infestations over and over even though I clean the pen and change the shavings in the nest boxes. I pressure wash the whole pen, henhouse, everything once a year, and every two weeks I'm spraying a mix of elector and PestOut (oils of clove, cottonseed, garlic) over the whole pen, roosts, henhouse, EVERYTHING!
It has just gotten to the point that I'm at my wit's end trying to keep these girls comfortable and healthy and the mites are making all of us crazy. They are even biting me and making me itch!

My understanding is you can use the spray Permethrin as once that's dried, it's safe again for cats, whereas the powder they would step in it then lick their paws being the most likely way they'd ingest it.

Whilst many believe diatomaceous earth is harmful, I and many don't. A lot of things are harmful if not used properly. I kick the chickens out, then don a mask and sprinkle it everywhere about once or twice a month. I've used it in my macaw parrot cages for over 20 years and in the coop and brooders for 8. It works to prevent mites and is all natural. I do not put it on my birds though, but do put a little in their dust baths. If the birds would have mites, then it's too late as DE is a prevention, not a cure. I'd turn to Permethrin at that point, but they've never gotten those kind of mites.