Chemicals in run! What to do?!

[ourrune]

Well we put, 'garden tech over and out' ant killer (zeta-cypermethrin and bemethrin or something like that) in our run there like idiots! The bag said safe for use around animals if used correctly. I didnt think it through apparently(eating the eggs and them eating the poisoned grass), So we did a broadcast on the yard AND treated the mounds. I figured id then maybe wait a week to put them out there and called the company to confirm how long and they said since we eat the eggs to wait 6 months to a year!!!!
I really need some advice on this one! Really wish id just tried to see how they fared out there with them but it was just so very bad.

my pullets probably wont be laying eggs for about 5 or 6 months anyhow but they will on that grass and soil the whole time up until then. Does anyone think there is anything we can do? I am so depressed over this we worked so hard to get this coop and run together and i was so excited to finally watch our girls live life like they should outside in their new coop and run for the first time and now i have no idea what to do!!

Does anyone think if we pull up the grass that is in there by a couple inchs and water it really good (we have sand for soil being in florida so im sure it moves through the soil quickly) and let the sun hit it for a week that it will be safe for them then? Or if we do that and add new sod on top? Or sand? They are so ready to get outside i feel horrible for them, i planned to let them possibly free range with supervision eventually and now the whole yard is poison! Anyone have any suggestions please?
Have not had good luck since we started our chicken journey last month!

 

[16 paws]

Well we put, 'garden tech over and out' ant killer (zeta-cypermethrin and bemethrin or something like that) in our run there like idiots! The bag said safe for use around animals if used correctly. I didnt think it through apparently(eating the eggs and them eating the poisoned grass), So we did a broadcast on the yard AND treated the mounds. I figured id then maybe wait a week to put them out there and called the company to confirm how long and they said since we eat the eggs to wait 6 months to a year!!!!
I really need some advice on this one! Really wish id just tried to see how they fared out there with them but it was just so very bad.

my pullets probably wont be laying eggs for about 5 or 6 months anyhow but they will on that grass and soil the whole time up until then. Does anyone think there is anything we can do? I am so depressed over this we worked so hard to get this coop and run together and i was so excited to finally watch our girls live life like they should outside in their new coop and run for the first time and now i have no idea what to do!!

Does anyone think if we pull up the grass that is in there by a couple inchs and water it really good (we have sand for soil being in florida so im sure it moves through the soil quickly) and let the sun hit it for a week that it will be safe for them then? Or if we do that and add new sod on top? Or sand? They are so ready to get outside i feel horrible for them, i planned to let them possibly free range with supervision eventually and now the whole yard is poison! Anyone have any suggestions please?
Have not had good luck since we started our chicken journey last month!

How big of an area is this?

Can you put some heavy plastic down over the area and then lay down some mulch and straw?

 

[Briza]

See Section 6

 

[ourrune]

How big of an area is this?

Can you put some heavy plastic down over the area and then lay down some mulch and straw?  

that is the area above there, about 12 by 4 .. we have trampoline fabric we were going to use for shade on top during the day maybe we can use? That wouldn't be bad for their feet (deformaties?) if they scratch through all straw and get to the bottom? Thats a good idea hadnt thought of that!
Thank you all very much for your replies its much appreciated especially right now im kind of panicking

 

[ourrune]

See Section 6

Thank you for that! And your time... so what is your take on it? You think its so toxic i should just move the whole thing to a different spot if possible or do you think i can shovel out all the sod and dirt down a few inchs and poor soda ash all over?

 

[ourrune]

What if we dig up all the soil in the inside area about 3 or 4 inches and add new soil? The outside area is still affected but they wont be out there. Or do you think that the poison may have seeped far into the ground and by adding new sod on top the poison will absorb upwards eventually?

 

[Cacique500]

From the MSDS it looks like it has a fairly low toxicity for birds "Bifenthrin is only slightly toxic to both waterfowl and upland game birds (LD50 values range from 1,800 mg/kg to >2,150 mg/kg)." So for your average bird, 7 pounds or so, that would be around 6 grams of it that they'd have to eat for it to be lethal. It does have a long half life:

"Soil • The aerobic half-life of bifenthrin in soil ranges from 97-250 days, depending on soil type.5 See the text box on Half-life (page 7). • The soil half-life of bifenthrin ranged from 106 to 147 days when the soil was exposed to sunlight.5 • In field dissipation studies, bifenthrin half-lives ranged from 122 to 345 days in a variety of soils."

Here's another source on Bifenthrin with a little more info than what is contained in the MSDS:

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/biftech.pdf

I think I'd just dig up a couple inches of soil and replace with a fresh layer of dirt/sand.

We just had to spray our entire yard/fence perimeter and around the coop due to ants - used the Ortho Home Defense Max liquid and kept them in the coop/run for the day until it dried. I wasn't happy about using a pesticide anywhere near the chickens, but when I found ants in our old nest boxes and all over the old coop we went to war. So far the chickens are fine and the ants are gone (temporarily I'm sure). I also have Amdro for ants for use outside the fence where they can't get it, but didn't want to risk the granules anywhere they had access to it.

 

[TalkALittle]

If it were me, I'd dig out the top 4-6 inches of soil in the run--preferably before it rains, and replace it with new. From the info on half life and given your conditions, it looks like by the time your birds are ready to lay, the stuff in the rest of the lawn will have degraded to a level I'd be comfortable letting them range on.

Everyone makes their own decisions about the use of chemicals around their birds. I hope you find a way to resolve the issue that you're comfortable with. I know it must be frustrating for you because I've done things before, realized I shouldn't have, then kicked myself for having done them. Don't beat yourself up about this. It's fixable. Good luck.

 

[ourrune]

If it were me, I'd dig out the top 4-6 inches of soil in the run--preferably before it rains, and replace it with new. From the info on half life and given your conditions, it looks like by the time your birds are ready to lay, the stuff in the rest of the lawn will have degraded to a level I'd be comfortable letting them range on.

Everyone makes their own decisions about the use of chemicals around their birds. I hope you find a way to resolve the issue that you're comfortable with. I know it must be frustrating for you because I've done things before, realized I shouldn't have, then kicked myself for having done them. Don't beat yourself up about this. It's fixable. Good luck.

Thank you! You def understand how i feel! Lol wish we could turn back time sometimes, wouldnt that be great!? I think that is going to be what we do, take up the top layer of soil and replace. What a way to make things more difficult! i was so worried we wouldnt find a solution to this but i agree at least by the time they start laying the yard should be pretty good to go. Thanks

From the MSDS it looks like it has a fairly low toxicity for birds "Bifenthrin is only slightly toxic to both waterfowl and upland game birds (LD50 values range from 1,800 mg/kg to >2,150 mg/kg)."  So for your average bird, 7 pounds or so, that would be around 6 grams of it that they'd have to eat for it to be lethal.  It does have a long half life:

"Soil • The aerobic half-life of bifenthrin in soil ranges from 97-250 days, depending on soil type.5 See the text box on Half-life (page 7). • The soil half-life of bifenthrin ranged from 106 to 147 days when the soil was exposed to sunlight.5 • In field dissipation studies, bifenthrin half-lives ranged from 122 to 345 days in a variety of soils."

Here's another source on Bifenthrin with a little more info than what is contained in the MSDS:

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/biftech.pdf

I think I'd just dig up a couple inches of soil and replace with a fresh layer of dirt/sand.

We just had to spray our entire yard/fence perimeter and around the coop due to ants - used the Ortho Home Defense Max liquid and kept them in the coop/run for the day until it dried.  I wasn't happy about using a pesticide anywhere near the chickens, but when I found ants in our old nest boxes and all over the old coop we went to war.  So far the chickens are fine and the ants are gone (temporarily I'm sure).  I also have Amdro for ants for use outside the fence where they can't get it, but didn't want to risk the granules anywhere they had access to it.

Thank you for digging out that info! I saw some like that as well and i just couldnt make much sense of it i wasnt quite sure what half life meant! You were very helpful thank you! That was the exact reason i was so scared because it looks to stick around for a long time! Should have realized that when it said works for 6 months! I dont know what was wrong with my brain that day!! Lol i figured it wouldnt kill them but maybe gave them reproductive issues or tainted eggs etc. Guess we can just only do our best to get that soil out and put some more back on top and just hope thats enough. thank you for your time!!

 

[junebuggena]

What ever you do, since letting them out of their run is not an option, be very careful about not putting too many chickens in that run. The basic rule is 10 sq ft of run per medium sized bird. Larger breeds need more space, smaller bantam breeds need less. Your run looks like it's only big enough for three, maybe 4 hens.