The Poultry Keeper

Squidge · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 138 Location: Folkestone, Kent

My ex Batts won't take Verm X, they won't eat it and they don't want to drink the water when it's in it, they get out over/through their fencing and find alternatives. Before I lock them in for three days has anyone any good ideas for disguising it that might tempt them?

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3021 Location: Monmouthshire

Give them Flubenvet. My birds would rather dehydrate than have water with vinegar in it. If they don't like it, they won't eat it.

Bhindi · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:35 pm Post subject:

If your using the liquid, the best way is to just get them accustomed to a hint of flavour. If your girls normally like soggy bread, dilute the verm x with a lot of water, and gradually build up to getting it stronger, but they will never like it neat, its far to strong a tincture. I think I add about 3 x water per dose. I cant recall exactly, but 1 slice gets just about well dampened with a 6 bird dose and water. (if that makes sense).

When they get it like this, they are always desperate for more.

minstrelmerrymaker · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 226 Location: ISLE OF WIGHT

i just squirt it on bread cut into 1cm cubes and throw a load onto the ground, they are so desperate to get the treat first its gone before they can taste it and they always go back for more. mind you they like nothing more than eating horse poo so i suppose after that anything will taste yummy! Laughing

tracey061196 · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:37 am Post subject:

I give mine Fluvenbet, mix up mashed potatoe smash and mix the powder in then add some mixed corn and layer pellets, put it in their trays and thats gone within minutes.

I have also done some weetabix with warm water and then mixed the powder in with that add corn and pellets and they eat that as quick as the smash.

At first i just sprinkled it on the food as the pot instructs you to but i think mixing it in with something wet makes it stick.

Magpie · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 541 Location: Norfolk

When mixing Flubenvet it is best to moisten the pellets with some cod liver oil first - that will help the powder coat all the food. Mix, mix, mix and mix some more!

Tim

Dusty · Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 637 Location: St. Asaph

I mix Verm X pellets into porridge and it vanishes Very Happy

Squidge · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 138 Location: Folkestone, Kent

Thanks for all your advice, much appreciated. I'm afraid in the end they all got their Verm X dose by syringe!! Took me ages to catch them all for three days running especially as after the first day they were even harder to catch ! Next month I will be trying out your various suggestions. It must be good stuff because they all seemed to perk up afterwards even though (or maybe because) they had also been dosed with Spot On, so there were even less pesky creatures dining out on my girls.