If my chickens eat Sevin dust?

[LUVMYCHIKAS]

So, brown ticks and deer ticks are really bad in our area. The season is coming as the temps warm. I've pulled 3 from our Labs already! I don't free ranch my chickens and guineas, except on weekends and some weeknights as the days get longer. Obviously, that won't be frequently enough to keep the population to a minimum. I'd like to treat the yard with something to kill the ticks (maybe Sevin dust?), but want it to be safe for the chickens when they are out and about. If my chickens are like everyone else's, they eat, or at least attempt to eat everything on the ground. Any suggestions or experiences? I've read thru previous Sevin dust threads, but it didn't look like any addressed my concerns specifically so I apologize for repeating an old topic. Thanks in advance!

 

[Messipaw]

Yes it is safe. I use the garden Severn dust all the time. Ty my coop and in the dust bath.

 

[Cindy in PA]

The ingredient in Sevin was found to cause weak egg shells in songbirds back in the 80's. Everyone uses it around their chickens, but I don't know how safe it is. I wouldn't eat my eggs if the chickens were around Sevin, but that is just me. YMMV

 

[Hooligans7]

I only use Sevin dust in my garden when bugs are eating my vegetables, and reluctantly at that. If I accidentally inhale just a little bit of it, I feel ill. Perhaps my chickens wouldn't have a problem with Sevin dust, but I haven't had the need to use it and would rather not.

I've found that if my lawn is kept cropped and all leaf litter is eliminated, fleas and ticks have nowhere to hide. However, I favor the use of K9 Advantix II on my dog since she loves to run in the woods. K9 Advantix II is a very effective, once-a-month spot treatment that keeps her free of fleas and ticks. I'd rather not use chemicals on my dog, either, but she gets bitten up and miserable if I do nothing, and natural topical repellants get washed off in the creek and lake.

As Cindy said, YMMV.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I only use Sevin dust in my garden when bugs are eating my vegetables, and reluctantly at that. If I accidentally inhale just a little bit of it, I feel ill. Perhaps my chickens wouldn't have a problem with Sevin dust, but I haven't had the need to use it and would rather not.

I've found that if my lawn is kept cropped and all leaf litter is eliminated, fleas and ticks have nowhere to hide. However, I favor the use of K9 Advantix II on my dog since she loves to run in the woods. K9 Advantix II is a very effective, once-a-month spot treatment that keeps her free of fleas and ticks. I'd rather not use chemicals on my dog, either, but she gets bitten up and miserable if I do nothing, and natural topical repellants get washed off in the creek and lake.

As Cindy said, YMMV.

You are lucky that K9 Advantix II works well for you. We only had 1 flea problem in 30 years with dogs here, however the ticks are terrible. I found after a decade of use neither Frontline or Advantix keeps ticks off for more than 2 weeks. After bouts of cancer in 2 dogs, I have decided not to use chemicals on my remaining old dog or my new pup. I will be using a natural oil spray & trying to be more diligent finding ticks when we come in from the woods. Just don't feel 2 weeks of protection from all that chemical is worth it for my dogs. Glad it works for you though.

 

[Arielle]

I have switched to using sulfur powder-- food grade and on line by the pound, 5 pound, 10 pound etc. I feel it is safer for the bees to use sulfur instead of sevin.

Many easy orgainic bug killers forthe garden , especially the simple soap and water mix for some bugs. THere are many other combos that can help in the garden without reaching for the sevin.

 

[Hooligans7]

I have switched to using sulfur powder-- food grade and on line by the pound, 5 pound, 10 pound etc. I feel it is safer for the bees to use sulfur instead of sevin.

Many easy orgainic bug killers forthe garden , especially the simple soap and water mix for some bugs. THere are many other combos that can help in the garden without reaching for the sevin.

Arielle, can you recommend a seller of the sulfur? Thanks!

 

[pdirt]

I also just got some pyrethrum dust, it's more natural as it's made from Chrysanthemums. It's still toxic stuff and you don't want to breathe it in, but at least mother nature made it. I haven't used it yet but plan to use it on the roosts once we clean the coop out. They all had lice a couple weeks ago but the dust baths with wood ash we gave them seemed to do the trick for now. I've heard this stuff is a bit more potent than wood ash and I hope to keep the lice from returning.

Everything I've read about Sevin tells me it's the last thing I want to use around my family, our animals or our garden. It just doesn't sound like a safe product. It wasn't that long ago, people doused everything (and themselves in the process) with DDT.