Scared of Sevin Dust ~ help with fleas needed fast!!!

[ArizonaNessa]

I have read where many people here say they use Sevin Dust to control mites and lice in the coops and even on the birds. I am so lucky to have a lady who lives next door to me that boards dogs for a living. She keeps everything very clean but she and I both have a horrendous flea problem. This is the first year I have even noticed the fleas. So I went to get some Sevin Dust today because I read here that it could be used safely and is more effective than DE. After reading the bag at the store I am scared to use it on my birds or in my coop. Is it really safe? What about my chihuahua and my cat? Is there another option for me? I can't handle fleas like this. I was standing in my driveway this morning for about five minutes. I looked down and I lost count of the fleas on my legs after 15!!!! Needless to say my legs are red and itchy and I am afraid my son and tiny little dog can get very ill from this. If they invade my house and I am going to go postal.

Will poultry dust from the feed store kill the fleas? Anyone got some strange old folks remedy for getting them gone?
Any and all suggestions are welcome.

 

[Davaroo]

Maybe you can find some pyrethrum powder?...

 

[cw]

good luck with the fleas. tis the season for em, yes what concentrate are you using , we use it never had a problem, you will need somethin pretty tough if there is bad as u say they are, you will need to reapply in 2 week cycles to rekill the un hatched flea eggs , u will need to repeat for uo to 8 weeks dependin on you infestation, we bought a house that was like that and the fleas would eat you alive,we had to treat the animals with sevins and treat the entire with diazinone (before they took it off the market) i hope this helps

 

[Silverduck]

Our vet said to treat the yard with Over and Out. He said it isn't that good on ants but it was great for fleas. Fleas are really bad this year. I don't know why unless it is because we have had a lot of rain. Hope this helps.

 

[chickenannie]

Are they in your house or outside? Does water with lots of detergent in it kill fleas? Or, get a large kettle and pour boiling water on them? (The boiling water works on weeds, by the way, instead of roundUp -- you spot-hit them at the root base).

Also, does DE (diatomaceous earth) work on fleas? It is an organic option since it's just microscopic shards of volcanic rock that slice an insects body. get "food grade" DE, if you use it.

Others may have better suggestiosn...

Did you consider that the fleas are coming from your neighbor's dogs?

Also, if the fleas are in your house, steam-vacuuming will kill them. Also vacuuming frequently helps alot. Regularly vaccuum your dog and cats sitting areas. Plus using a flea comb on a cat (and likely a dog) will pull out all the existing fleas. then you have to do it again several times.

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

I would say if at any possibility you cound bring your chickens in for acouple of weeks and have your yard sprayed proffessionaly...
I think with that many fleas you may never rid them..
I would have a least 2 flea treatments..
For me I love benifical nematoads for fleas but they like rain to produce I am in Fl where I get alot of rain..

 

[ArizonaNessa]

No I don't have fleas in the house yet but it is only a matter of time if I don't do something. As for bringing the chickens inside, I would love to do that but we are talking about close to 300 birds. I go through a 50lb bag of DE every two months and I have not found fleas on my birds. I also coat my yard in DE too but there are still fleas. I just can't risk using ANYTHING that could bring harm to my critters. This is why I asked about using poultry dust. I am willing to pay out the ear to get enough to cover and coat anything and everything but I don't want to buy all that and it not work. I have birds that range from 2 weeks to 4 years old.

 

[rufus]

Nessa, you did not say from where in Arizona you are posting. Fleas are carriers of the bubonic plague which is endemic in parts of this state.

The federal government in the past has actually resorted to DDT to control this problem. I suggest you bite the bullet and have your property treated.

Exterminate pocket gophers, ground squirrels and any other rodents.

I urge you to resolve this problem promptly.

Good Luck,

Rufus

 

[ArizonaNessa]

We had our property treated about a year ago and have never ever had a flea problem. I am in Deer Valley which is in the NW part of Phoenix. I really think it has to do with the time of year and the fact that I have about 15 dogs next door. I intend to take care of this with any way I can but I really didn't want to have to move all these animals to do so. If poultry dust will kill fleas then problem solved. If it won't then I gotta get out the cages and move the animals because I refuse to risk their lives just to kill some fleas. I have another property very close by that I can move them to for a short time to treat the current location. I just was looking for something safe to use around the animals.

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

We have over 100 birds on the ground and use Sevin at least ever 6 months to help control the fleas and flies. We just sprinkle it all over the ground and then lightly rake it in. Never had a problem from it. We also heavily dust our dog (Chow Newfoundland mix) with it and has never bothered him either.