Can I spray deet on my clothing (and let it dry) before visiting my chickens?

[thecatumbrella]

Mosquitoes are SO BAD this year! I'm getting bit in the middle of the day while in the chicken pen (with a fan blowing across it!) Cutter Backwoods Dry works amazing, but I have to douse myself in it and it stinks. I know birds can be pretty sensitive to chemicals. At least one of my birds likes to jump on my arm and peck at my clothes.

Is it safe to use the deet-based spray? Or should I be switching to permethrin?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's probably fine as long as it's dry.

Here's more information about the active ingredient Deet, you should be able to come to some type of conclusion about your comfort leverl of using the product or not.

https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/deet

 

[mnabity]

I use Dr Bronner's Peppermint Castile soap as a body wash whenever I visit Alaska and the mosquitos don't bother me at all. Just avoid your sensitive bits! I know you can use it to wash your clothes and I'm sure you can mix up a good solution to spray on before headed out to your chickens. I also use it for pest control on my plants indoors and out, it works great and is safe around animals. The dilution rate is on the bottle.

 

[thecatumbrella]

It's probably fine as long as it's dry.

Here's more information about the active ingredient Deet, you should be able to come to some type of conclusion about your comfort leverl of using the product or not.

https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/deet

Thank you!

I use Dr Bronner's Peppermint Castile soap as a body wash whenever I visit Alaska and the mosquitos don't bother me at all. Just avoid your sensitive bits! I know you can use it to wash your clothes and I'm sure you can mix up a good solution to spray on before headed out to your chickens. I also use it for pest control on my plants indoors and out, it works great and is safe around animals. The dilution rate is on the bottle.

I can't use it on my skin because I'm the eczema queen, but I never thought to use it on plants! I'm going to give that a shot. The chicken run is near the woodline, which doesn't help with skeeters.