Insect control

[LittleMissCountry]

We have already started having a barrage of mosquitoes, gnats, and other annoying insects in our yard. Last year we had a pest control company spray the yard and house. This year I am not sure what to do since we have the chickens, and I do want to let them out in the yard to free range a little, or put them in the portable run. I was looking at permethrin spray, but read that it is toxic for cats. We have two cats.
So any suggestions? For those of you that have cats and chickens, do you treat your yard? I don't mind a few bugs, but they are already getting bad already and the ticks are just starting to come out.

 

[Athena2344]

We have cats, dogs, chickens, geese and quail, if its the proper dosage, it will only harm the bugs. I have found that it works great on parasites, and in higher dosages will kill spiders and scorpions almost on contact. We have only had one problem where i forgot that it wasnt normal dosage and sprayed our cats, and one of the four ended up seizing but was fine afterwards

 

[jp57]

You can set up purple martin houses to attract them. They fly around all day looking for flying bugs to eat.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

You can set up purple martin houses to attract them. They fly around all day looking for flying bugs to eat.

That was the first thing I did when we moved here last year.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

We have cats, dogs, chickens, geese and quail, if its the proper dosage, it will only harm the bugs. I have found that it works great on parasites, and in higher dosages will kill spiders and scorpions almost on contact. We have only had one problem where i forgot that it wasnt normal dosage and sprayed our cats, and one of the four ended up seizing but was fine afterwards

That is good to know. After reading the back of the permethrin powder about how toxic is was for cats, it scared me. I started googling and read that cats will get it on their fur from the grass, then lick it off and get sick.

 

[lazy gardener]

As long as you are not spraying your cats, you should be fine with permethrin. Keep your grass mowed, get rid of any standing water, use a rain barrel with a mosquito dunk (or a couple gold fish) to encourage mosquitoes to lay their eggs THERE, and that will go a long ways towards controlling the pesty biters.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

As long as you are not spraying your cats, you should be fine with permethrin. Keep your grass mowed, get rid of any standing water, use a rain barrel with a mosquito dunk (or a couple gold fish) to encourage mosquitoes to lay their eggs THERE, and that will go a long ways towards controlling the pesty biters.

Our entire property is on a slope, with built in underground drainage pipes, so we have no issues with standing water. Lots of trees, though.
I hadn't thought of a rain barrel for population control in one spot. Great idea!

 

[Athena2344]

That is good to know. After reading the back of the permethrin powder about how toxic is was for cats, it scared me. I started googling and read that cats will get it on their fur from the grass, then lick it off and get sick.

I used the spray though

 

[LittleMissCountry]

I used the spray though

From what I read, they are both toxic. I had already bought the powder, for my garden plants, and to use if the chickens got mites or lice. That had me thinking about using the spray for the yard...

 

[RWise]

Bat houses, put up bat houses, the bats will find them and move in. They eat lots of things like those pesky mosquitoes! And they are non toxic to our environment.