Flubenvet

[cuwiar]

Hi, I haven't been able to find a specific website for Flubenvet but I have been on the Jansenn Animal Health page (they market Flubnvet) and asked this question:

If possible I would appreciate some additional information and recommendatons for the above product (Flubenvet).

1) Is there a recommended daily amount per chicken ie dependant on body weight to ensure maximum results over the 7 day medication period?

2) To ensure each chicken recieves this recommended amount is it possible to add it to small amounts of 'desirable' feed/treats and give this twice a day rather than allow them to eat over the course of the day in their 'regular' feed?

I only have three chickens and am keen to ensure they get the maximum benefit from this medication and I am concerned that some may not get their daily dose based on the instructions provided with the product.

Any additional guidance would be apreciated.

I hope to hear from you in due course.

This was their answer:

Thank you for your enquiry regarding our product Flubenvet 1%.

Please find attached a leaflet giving information on administering Flubenvet and general worming in chickens, which should answer your questions below; but to help clarify these further:

1) Each chicken will eat the food it needs for its body weight, so bigger birds will consume more of the medication than smaller birds, but with the food, they will take in enough wormer; therefore it is important to mix the food and the medication evenly and as described on the information
provided. Great variation between intensive and extensive systems and great variation according to breed and purpose (layers or broilers) but a chicken will consume approximately 100-120g of food per day.

2) To ensure each chicken receives the required amount of the medicated mixture, this should be the only food offered during the 7 day treatment period.

If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards
Tina

(See attached file: FLUB DL.pdf)

Tina Pollard VN
Technical Advisor-Companion Animals
Elanco CA Veterinary Educational & Technical Services
Tel: +44 (0)1256 779956
Fax: +44 (0)1256 779508
Mob: +44 (0)7730207265
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

I don't seem to be able to attach the PDF leaflet I was sent but it doesn't say anything in there about adding oil, the only place I have seen this recommended is on the following website:

http://keeping-chickens.me.uk/what-to-keep-in-stock/flubenvet

A great website but not a 'professional' opinion.

Here's the listing for Flubenvet from the NOAH Compendium:

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Elanco_Animal_Health/Flubenvet_1__ACU-_Medicated_Premixture/-33869.html

I hope this is of some help. It doesn't tell us a lot that we don't already seem to know but it's good to have it from the Horses/Chickens(?) mouth!

Will keep trying to figure out what I need to do to attach the PDF.

 

[chrismahon]

Hi Cuwiar. Found reference to adding oil on two sites but neither are the Manufacturers Instructions as you say. Still, it works really well added to oil before mixing so I will keep doing it for small batches or use the Marriages premix.

 

[cuwiar]

Hi Chris, certainly no expert on any of this and I've used a little oil when mixing flubenvet also but I coated the pellets in oil before adding the powder. I can't really see it would do any harm - just wish the manufacturers would advocate it to put my mind at rest! I think I'm going to go with the premixed pellets next time though!

 

[Marigold]

Thanks for thoise links, Cuwiar, that's most interesting and helpful.
For people with a small number of birds, I think there may be two problems with the bags of premixed pellets, excellent though they probably are in providing easy safe treatment to larger flocks. 1) You would be unlikely to use exactly a whole bag, leading either to having to mix up some loose pellets + Flubenvet powder in any case, or having Marriage's pellets left over which would probably be stale or out of date in 6 months time; and
2) I have read in several places that if you have to change the feed to a different brand this should be done gradually. As I don't feed Marriages this would be a concern to me. If I were treating a poorly chicken I certainly wouldn't want to commit to a sudden change of food in case it made it more difficult to get her to eat enough of it. I agree that chickens in normal health would probably cope well with a sudden change of food and would eat what they needed over 7 days, but it's still not best practice when it is actually so easy to mix your own according to need. You don't even have to mix a whole week's worth in one go, just do it a kilo at a time and see how fast it disappears. I can't see any problems with adding oil to the pellets since the birds will routinely be eating this anyway as a supplement, in most cases.

 

[chrismahon]

Just to comment on Marigolds point about changing feeds. Added Flubenvet changes their feed anyway and I have noticed they are reluctant to eat it with a Flubenvet coating. On the other hand Flubenvet inside it and they don't notice and most prefer Marriages to their normal Smallholder.

The shelf life for the Marriages premix is 3 months. In our case we don't have any left over but as Marigold says we then have to mix up some feed with Flubenvet coated to finish the course in some cases. Depends who gets done last. The bantams liked the Flubenvet premix so much they ate their 7 day ration in 3 days!

 

[cuwiar]

I've been feeding Marriages 'normal' pellets to my girls, along with their normal feed, for a week or so now. Partly to see if they do prefer it to their Smallholders pellets and partly to introduce them to Marriages feed. My experiment is inconclusive though - I've made rod for my own back by giving them their 'super porridge' every morning - just pellets crumbled with hot water, CLO, sunflower seeds, cooked peelings etc - they love that so much regardless of which pellets I use - they would prefer to eat that over plain dry pellets any day (of course). I only started doing it because of my concerns that our layer was feeling skinny and wanted to make sure she was eating enough but now they wait for it even when their pellets are put out. Keep telling myself I'll stop when the weather warms up - but who knows, it's not much skin off my nose to make it and they do love it... :roll:

If I do get the Marriages/Flubenvet pellets I was thinking of putting the excess on Freecycle or popping over to the people opposite who I know have chickens and seeing if they want the remainders - it'll be a good chance to get chatting to them!

The Farm Pet Place sell off their stock with short BBE dates cheaply so if I could coincide the worming with a stock take it shouldn't take too much out of my pocket either... :ugeek:

 

[Marigold]

I've made rod for my own back by giving them their 'super porridge' every morning - just pellets crumbled with hot water, CLO, sunflower seeds, cooked peelings etc - they love that so much regardless of which pellets I use - they would prefer to eat that over plain dry pellets any day (of course). I only started doing it because of my concerns that our layer was feeling skinny and wanted to make sure she was eating enough but now they wait for it even when their pellets are put out. Keep telling myself I'll stop when the weather warms up - but who knows, it's not much skin off my nose to make it and they do love it... :roll:
:

Yes I do that, all through the winter - apart from the fact that they do just love it, I enjoy seeing them eating sociably round a big bowl, all heads pointing inwards and beaks busy. And of course, if it's freezing it does help with their water intake as well. Amazing how they can unerringly pick out all the best bits first, though, ie the mealworms, however well I mix them in. And also, last time I wormed them I added the 'extras' to the kilo I was measuring before adding the Flubenvet, so it was very well mixed in to the pellets and all went down the hatch very speedily! I leave a feeder of dry pellets in the run in case the damp mash runs out, but they largely ignore it.

What's the point of having a few pet chickens if you can't spoil them in ways which certainly do no harm, and add to their enjoyment and wellbeing, as well as my pleasure in watching them?