How long after Elector PSP is it safe to free-range?

[jBabychickn]

Hi there friends —
How long would you wait to let the birds out for free-range after spraying the chicken yard with Elector PSP?

I’ll be using it as a preventative premise spray more than anything; I’m not treating any of my chickens themselves. This is my 1st experience with Elector, but I’d like to start including it in my twice-yearly deep cleaning maintenance schedule. — I’m also very curious if it keeps the fly population down as well since the package says it works on those little buggers.

Anyone else regularly use Elector PSP as a premise spray?
— My concerns focus on the ground coverage… I mean, my girls will be out there pecking around in it all day as they always like to do, but will it really be safe for them to be eating the grasses that I just treated with Spinosad?

Thanks so much; I do appreciate all of you that respond to my worries… I really do!!!
~ Johnna

 

[LaFleche]

I don't live in the U.S., but I never ever would spray my whole premises with it as it is very toxic for aquatic organisms and such.

There is no need to kill every living insect to make it 'safe' for your chicken, on the contrary, chicken love to eat insects, even flies.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Have you tried fly catcher bags (you can find them at Home Depot (and stores like that) or online. They work really well, and you wouldn't have to worry about your birds ingesting too much because it isn't a spray. Many of them smell bad, so you would want to place them as far away from "people areas" as possible.

This particular brand is said not to stink:
https://theranchflytrap.com/

I used a brand from Home Depot - it smelled awful when I walked past it (and within about a 6ft radius), but it knocked my fly problem out in a couple days! If I have to use it again I would place it in a different area - it literally draws the flies to it. I'll never go another summer without these things (pics are from other BYC members who swear by these traps).

As LaFleche said, it's probably not ideal to kill every single organism in your yard. It may cause an imbalance and lead to other problems.

 

[LaFleche]

How many chickens do you have?

Daily scooping up their poop and generally keeping the run/yard dry can help to reduce smell, flies and parasites.

As I don't use Spinosad I don't have own experiences to share, sorry.

 

[jBabychickn]

How many chickens do you have?

Daily scooping up their poop and generally keeping the run/yard dry can help to reduce smell, flies and parasites.

As I don't use Spinosad I don't have own experiences to share, sorry.

I have 9 Silkies in a backyard setting; I scoop poop daily. Use first Saturday Lime and Zeolite coop refresher in my routine maintenance. However, summertime here in the south can be crazy for fly populations regardless, I suppose. Add chickens that poop constantly, ya gonna have flies hanging around… All I’m trying to do is maintain a happy backyard setting so that I can keep my babies

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Have you tried fly catcher bags (you can find them at Home Depot (and stores like that) or online. They work really well, and you wouldn't have to worry about your birds ingesting too much because it isn't a spray. Many of them smell bad, so you would want to place them as far away from "people areas" as possible.

This particular brand is said not to stink:
https://theranchflytrap.com/

I used a brand from Home Depot - it smelled awful when I walked past it (and within about a 6ft radius), but it knocked my fly problem out in a couple days! If I have to use it again I would place it in a different area - it literally draws the flies to it. I'll never go another summer without these things (pics are from other BYC members who swear by these traps).
View attachment 3615618
View attachment 3615619

As LaFleche said, it's probably not ideal to kill every single organism in your yard. It may cause an imbalance and lead to other problems.

Also, Elector is SOOOO expensive!! I would only use it if you have an active mite/lice infestation and only on the coop and birds. Spraying your whole yard with it regularly seems like such a waste of money and product.

 

[jBabychickn]

Have you tried fly catcher bags (you can find them at Home Depot (and stores like that) or online. They work really well, and you wouldn't have to worry about your birds ingesting too much because it isn't a spray. Many of them smell bad, so you would want to place them as far away from "people areas" as possible.

This particular brand is said not to stink:
https://theranchflytrap.com/

I used a brand from Home Depot - it smelled awful when I walked past it (and within about a 6ft radius), but it knocked my fly problem out in a couple days! If I have to use it again I would place it in a different area - it literally draws the flies to it. I'll never go another summer without these things (pics are from other BYC members who swear by these traps).
View attachment 3615618
View attachment 3615619

As LaFleche said, it's probably not ideal to kill every single organism in your yard. It may cause an imbalance and lead to other problems.

Thank you! I could give those a another try.
I used them before, but the stink was too strong and carried over to the neighbors.

I had this suggestion from another tho… They said they didn’t use the stinky attractant and instead put a piece of chicken poo inside and that worked just the same, without the stink, so I’ll prolly try it again in that manner.

I also thought about the green netting kind with the bottom trays, where you can put whatever attractant you want in it. I heard those do work well too.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Also, sorry you didn't get an answer to your actual question about free ranging after application. The only thing I could find says not to spray Elector PSP on or near animal's food / water. And since free range chickens obviously eat the grass...

Maybe call the manufacturer??

 

[jBabychickn]

Also, sorry you didn't get an answer to your actual question about free ranging after application. The only thing I could find says not to spray Elector PSP on or near animal's food / water. And since free range chickens obviously eat the grass...

Maybe call the manufacturer??

Oh, Thank you! That’s a really Great idea, my friend!! I will do that. Meanwhile, I’m gonna go ahead and spray around where they don’t forage. I have them inside chicken fencing so they have their own dedicated space in the backyard. I’ll spray around the perimeter along with hanging the fly traps in the two trees I have inside the chicken yard itself. I’m sure that will do the trick. I don’t have a huge fly problem exactly, again, I’m just looking to protect and prevent for the most part.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

Spinosad is a bacterium that’s safe for chickens

Well, there's your answer!

We used some type of nematodes at one time because fleas were out of control.
Worked really well

Before you get too carried away, you may want to read this, and remember, arsenic and asbestos are naturally occurring too.

https://elifesciences.org/articles/73812