As the title says...are there any issues to be aware of when appying deer repellent around chicken enclosures and places where chickens may forage? From the products I've looked at so far, it doesn't seem like there would be any actual toxicity issues. But, for example, if the stuff is also repulsive to chickens then I will need to have a bit more of a think about how to apply it...last thing I need is to spray it around the run and then they hate it so much they sulk in the coop all day.
Other background in case anyone has any other deer repelling ideas besides the spray: there's a doe and several of her offspring that I'm pretty sure someone in the area must be feeding from their porch or something. These few deer are currently not afraid of people unless you throw a decent-sized object at them from pretty close, and they seem attracted to structures. They are at least moderately afraid of my 100lb dog, but only if she runs at them - barking does nothing. They are going right up to my house, right up to a garage my husband is building - even while he's working on it with loud power tools, right up behind me when I'm working outside, etc. They show no sign of being anything but fat and healthy (actually a lot better looking than a lot of the other, more timid deer) and the behavior has been getting steadily bolder over the last year. They are clearly interested in the chicken feed in the enclosures since they've been going up and sniffing at the nearest walls, and I'm trying to avoid potentially annoying repairs if one of them manages to put a hoof through the HWC, break a wood beam, or similar. I gather some deer repellents are pretty effective at putting them off, and the edges of my enclosures are largely rain protected so if I can spray right up against the perimeter then it'll be more robust to rain.
Other background in case anyone has any other deer repelling ideas besides the spray: there's a doe and several of her offspring that I'm pretty sure someone in the area must be feeding from their porch or something. These few deer are currently not afraid of people unless you throw a decent-sized object at them from pretty close, and they seem attracted to structures. They are at least moderately afraid of my 100lb dog, but only if she runs at them - barking does nothing. They are going right up to my house, right up to a garage my husband is building - even while he's working on it with loud power tools, right up behind me when I'm working outside, etc. They show no sign of being anything but fat and healthy (actually a lot better looking than a lot of the other, more timid deer) and the behavior has been getting steadily bolder over the last year. They are clearly interested in the chicken feed in the enclosures since they've been going up and sniffing at the nearest walls, and I'm trying to avoid potentially annoying repairs if one of them manages to put a hoof through the HWC, break a wood beam, or similar. I gather some deer repellents are pretty effective at putting them off, and the edges of my enclosures are largely rain protected so if I can spray right up against the perimeter then it'll be more robust to rain.
) either hand-feeds the deer or keeps feeders filled year round. Same folks who are complaining about the cost of groceries now....The critters hear me in the Gator and come trotting up, looking for a handout. I tell them to move on. On opening day of rifle season you can rattle a Doritos bag (instead of antlers 
) and shoot your buck that way. Sad but true.
