Is castor oil safe for chickens? I've got gophers

[beachylivin]

So before I had chickens I would spray a castor oil mixture in areas of the yard where gophers were taking over. I now have my three hens that free range on my half acre all day.
Anyone know if I can still spray my castor oil/water mixture on parts of the yard? My dogs are DESTROYING my landscaping and irrigation system trying to find the gophers!! Need help!!
Thank you!

 

[Ted n Ms]

I have castor plants and chickens scratch all around them. In the spring i have plants come every where and have not lost a bird yet.

 

[WYNot]

Gotta ask... what is the purpose of castor oil with regards to gophers?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Gotta ask... what is the purpose of castor oil with regards to gophers?

Apparently it is repellant to them - many of the commercial "repellant" granule products are corn cob, caster oil, soap

 

[beachylivin]

Gophers strongly dislike the smell.
I have had success with it for a long while now. You can spray it on your grass, plants, anywhere really. Diluted with water of course.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Gophers strongly dislike the smell.
I have had success with it for a long while now. You can spray it on your grass, plants, anywhere really. Diluted with water of course.

I would suspect that the thing in castor oil that would repel gophers is that they can either detect the smell of ricin in castor oil or the smell of caster oil reminds gophers of the source of ricin,, caster beans. Even though caster oil and ricin both comes from caster beans ricin is only water soluble and should not mix with caster oil.

 

[beachylivin]

Not exactly sure what your point is here....