Mixing Flubenvet with Pellets.

[steffanos]

Hi,
For those of us still mixing the powder with pellets and not using the pre-mixed stuff, I have a couple of comments/observations that I would appreciate others' views on.
First of all the 'authoritative' advice seems to involve mixing the powder with some oil before adding to the pellets. I would suggest that such a process would hinder the even mixing of the medication. For example I mix a 20/40Kg batch at a time, which translates to probably hundreds of thousands if not millions of pellets? To expect a small amount of oil/paste to evenly coat all the pellets is ludicrous. If you compare however the fineness of the powder (probably not much larger than a molecule per grain, which is what pepper is for example), there is much more chance of it being distributed evenly throughout the whole batch in its dry form, rather than just a small percentage of 'wet' pellets achieved by the paste.
Probably the better method would involve oiling the entire batch of pellets first, then mixing the powder in, although I doubt that there is any real advantage in doing even that, as the pellets are just about oily enough in their 'raw' state to ensure that some powder adheres to them.
I always mix mine in a large black plastic barrel and have never noticed any residual Flubenvet left in the bottom.
All comments greatfully accepted!
☺

 

[Marigold]

I don't mix the powder with oil, instead I mix oil into a small quantity of pellets and mix very thoroughly to get them all lightly coated. Then I add the flubenvet and mix that in very thoroughly. Then I gradually add the rest of the pellets, after each addition mixing well, until all have been mixed in. I do it this way because with only 4 hens, it would be wasteful to buy a premixed bag. If I needed to mix 20-40kg batches such as you describe, I would just get the premixed stuff, I can't understand why you bother to mix up such large batches when the premix is available. I understand that you might still be left short of the amount needed when you had finished up a bag, but in that case you could perhaps mix a smaller amount to make enough to finish the job?

 

[chrismahon]

Premix is the way to go Steffanos.

When I mix the paste wth Olive Oil I then follow the Flubenvet mixing instructions. Mix first with a few pellets until all evenly coated. Then mix those into a larger amount then those into a larger amount then those with the rest.

 

[steffanos]

Chris,
I think the Flubenvet instructions relate to the mixing of the powder in the stages you describe. I don't think they mention the use of oil anywhere?
And that is my point. If you use a paste you are expecting that to cover evenly throughout the whole batch - an impossibility I would argue. Whereas the use of dry powder only is much more likely to be evenly mixed as it consists of millions of particles as opposed to a few desert spoons full of paste that relies on being able to stretch far enough to 'wet' every single pellet!

 

[chrismahon]

I beg to differ Steffanos. I find the coating on the few rubs off on the rest, each receiving a little spot of the original mix. Whereas the powder falls off into the bottom of the feeder. We got better results using oil and the best using premix. Always found some would rather starve than eat the pellets with powder because that's the first thing they smell.

 

[steffanos]

Thanks chris.
I'll try what you suggest, although I'm still to be persuaded!! ;0)