Are Essential Oils Harmful to Chickens?

[Aquatic_blue]

So, it's that time again...spring time and quickly entering into the summer soon. I have noticed a scorpion in one of our light fixtures and it's time to get to work and seal cracks and such, and I know I can put DE outside and inside of our home where needed. I have been reading that neem oil is particularly effective on scorpions, ants, etc. and have thought about using it in the yard. Another one I have heard about is cedar wood oil. From time to time we let the chickens roam the yard to keep some weeds and bugs down. Will neem or cedar wood harm chickens? Are there any essential oils that will hurt chickens?

 

[RiverOtter]

Most essential oils will hurt chickens. All of them are highly concentrated and are supposed to be hugely diluted before coming into contact with anything you're not looking to repel or kill (like scorpions)

If a scorpion ran through enough essential oil to even make it leave an area, I would expect however much stuck to it would be enough to poison a chicken, if it then ate it.

 

[Aquatic_blue]

Most essential oils will hurt chickens. All of them are highly concentrated and are supposed to be hugely diluted before coming into contact with anything you're not looking to repel or kill (like scorpions)

If a scorpion ran through enough essential oil to even make it leave an area, I would expect however much stuck to it would be enough to poison a chicken, if it then ate it.

Good to know! I am sure I'm going to stay away from the cedar with the chickens. I still wonder about the neem if it is heavily diluted. If I use it, I may only use it in the front yard or on the house where they do not have access.

I suppose DE for now will do.