Black widow invasion

[Kim95037]

So for some reason this year I have black widows up the WAZOO. I dont know if its the drought or if someone is secretly making a horror movie in which I am the unwilling star. I just went outside to tuck in the girls and I killed like seven of them in various places around my yard. I cant even walk outside at night without knowing exactly where I am putting my feet. Does anybody know, can chickens eat a black widow and not get poisoned? Also I used to have Clark Pest Control but cancelled the service after I got chickens. Has anyone ever used Premetherin for spider control? I just used it to rid my coop of mites so I figured it would be safe to spray my yard and such with it, I just wasnt sure how effective it would be. Black widows are kind of tough. It took a 1/3of a can of hornets nest spray trying to get ONE spider down off of my porch.

 

[littlemissbatam]

Ya I don't see why not but it can make a chicken sick if it bit it

 

[littlemissbatam]

Well if the spider bit the chicken

 

[Kim95037]

I'm not so worried about the chickens getting bit, I'm wondering if I use the Premetherin Spray and theres some dead black widows after I spray I'm sure the chickens wouldnt hesitate to eat them. THATS what I'm wondering about.

 

[SoonerMykah]

I don't think the poison works like that. I think it only affects being bitten not swallowed.

 

[dheltzel]

It's not good for any animal to ingest Permethrin. It is contained in some anti-flea products for dogs, but with specific warnings not to apply to cats, and the cat version lacks that from the ingredients.

OTOH, If the spider is alive or died of "natural causes" (including being swatted) then I think it would be perfectly safe for the chicken to eat.

 

[aart]

Permethrin is about the only thing approved for poultry with no egg or meat withdrawal....not sure if it will kill BW or if chicken could get sick form eating BW.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have seen young chicks eat an adult female BW spider. No one died.
As to them eating one that has been sprayed I am not experienced with that.
I am wondering if your coop is raised or if they are nesting under the coop.

Nasty spiders. NOT a fan of things with more than 4 legs.
If your coop is on the ground I wonder if there is some sort of poison that can be sprayed under the coop to control the masses.

They are THE hardest to kill spider I have ever run across. Creeps me out thinking about them.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Permethrin Spray is approved for use on your kitchen cabinets and a cream version of Permethrin is also approved to smear on new born human infants who like to stick their hands into their mouths. Permethrin is very benign when ingested by warm blooded animals who like chickens happen to have a spine.

I doubt that you have any more BWSs now than you did in the past but that the drought is making them easier to see because they are usually found in grassy areas.

 

[aart]

I found a BW under my pond filter cover, protecting an egg sack,
got them into a in a tightly closed jar, they hatched, dozens of them! (ewwwwshudder) .....and died.

.....so did some research.
BW like damp places, brown recluse like dry places.
In a drought the BW may be looking for water/moisture.