Can I treat scaly leg mites with ivermectin while also worming with valbazen?

[Stephoney]

I found what I think were roundworms in a poop on my deck and started treating my flock with Valbazen 10 days ago. I just gave them a second dose today and noticed that a few of my hens look like they may have scaly leg mites. Sheesh! I’ve treated it before successfully with Ivermectin pour on, but not while also using another wormer.

Is it safe to do both in the same time period or should I wait a few weeks before treating them?

I don’t want to overdo it with dewormer/mite meds, however, I tried the route of using sprays and topical treatments for leg mites before with very little success. I know the Ivermectin pour on will work. Thoughts? Anyone with experience?

 

[Sammi_0411]

Have u tried rubbing vaseline over scaly legs and feet ? X

 

[dawg53]

It would be best to wait 2 weeks after using Valbazen, then use Ivermectin. Ivermectin has a long withdrawal period, 30 days.
You might want to consider using Nu-Stock to treat scaly leg mites. It can be purchased in the equine section at a feed store. Shake the tube well and wear disposable gloves when applying it. Put a light coat of Nu-Stock on roosts to prevent the mites from crawling from one bird to another. You cant do that with Ivermectin.

 

[Stephoney]

Have u tried rubbing vaseline over scaly legs and feet ? X

Yes, I tried that on two hens a few years back. There was some improvement, but it did not get rid of the mites after a month of daily treatment. The ivermectin worked amazingly well and got rid of the mites quickly. My girls felt better within a week. Their scales took time to recover, but now are nice and flat and healthy again. I will definitely use ivermectin to treat, but I want to make sure I’m observing enough time between the valbazen and the ivermectin. The hens who are showing signs of scaly leg mites are not withdrawn or having other symptoms as of yet. I just noticed that they have a case of them. They can likely wait 2-4 weeks before treatment if necessary.

 

[Stephoney]

It would be best to wait 2 weeks after using Valbazen, then use Ivermectin. Ivermectin has a long withdrawal period, 30 days.
You might want to consider using Nu-Stock to treat scaly leg mites. It can be purchased in the equine section at a feed store. Shake the tube well and wear disposable gloves when applying it. Put a light coat of Nu-Stock on roosts to prevent the mites from crawling from one bird to another. You cant do that with Ivermectin.
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Thank you for the suggestion about the interval wait time. I had thought a few weeks was probably going to be best, but wasn’t sure if someone had experience with it. I haven’t heard of Nu-Stock before. I’ll have to look into that.

I’m not too worried about the egg withdrawal. We’ve been off eggs since we started with the valbazen and will just continue. Not optimal, but neither is having creepy crawlies pushing up scales on their legs. I plan to treat all hens at the same time to avoid any mites moving from one hen to another. I’ll treat again after 2 weeks to catch any eggs that hatched. I have Omlet coops that are made from hard plastic. One of the best parts about these coops is how easy they are to clean and sterilize. I will pressure wash them out after each treatment to cut down on the possibility of transmission and spray them with oxine. I’ve also mixed sulfur powder in their dirt baths and in the nesting boxes bedding. Sulfur works really well on the external mites and I’m hoping will kill off any of the scaly mites that come out looking for a more hospitable host. Hopefully this helps rid us of the little pests as we move into fall!

 

[tgsnod]

Has anyone used borax either topically on the legs or internally to treat? I have just found out about the many benefits of borax and I know it is a naturally occurring mineral salt which I would prefer over using chemicals. I'm not against chemicals when natural treatments don't work well but prefer to start more naturally with treatment.