SEVIN DUST YOUR CHICKENS

[Lazy Farmer]

We have a mobile vet come to our farm a few times a year. I will have to ask her about Sevin. She will be here in a week for our Goat offspring vaccinations.

 

[casportpony]

We have a mobile vet come to our farm a few times a year. I will have to ask her about Sevin. She will be here in a week for our Goat offspring vaccinations.

It's perfectly safe to use.

 

[cavemanrich]

Last year I encountered a mite population in one of my older hens. I researched Sevin and did read that it was used for a very long time. It was not recommended for poultry. Seeing that it was OK to dust my tomatoes, which I was going to eat eventually, my fear of Sevin went away. I dusted my select hen and she cleared up in no time flat. Also dusted the bedding which I suspect had the excess mite population. Mite problem solved.. Have not had any issues since. My chickens do dust bathe and that is a natural way to control parasites. I have read to add DE to dust medium. Here is my concern with DE. It is not effective if it gets wet. The dust is BAD for the lungs of people and (chickens???) In small quantities, probably less hazardous. I do have a quantity of DE and this is how I use it. Sprinkle a very thin layer of DE on bottom of coop floor. Cover that layer with Sweet PDZ. On top of that I use hay. Straw or wood shavings would be equal alternates. When I clean out the bedding as needed, I do not see any insects crawling around on bottom. The DE must finish them off.
Am I being too cautious about DE???

 

[casportpony]

Am I being too cautious about DE???

Don't waste you money - see post below.

I too found mites happily lounging about in the deep layer of DE I had in the bottom of my nestboxes!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I have read to much DE can dry out skin. We use it in the floor bedding lightly.

 

[casportpony]

I have read to much DE can dry out skin. We use it in the floor bedding lightly.

Why use it at all?

 

[Lazy Farmer]

4 of our oldest hens have a mild mite problem started. We have quarantined them and will dust them Saturday. Because they were housed with 45 other birds, we have our work cut out for us.

 

[casportpony]

4 of our oldest hens have a mild mite problem started. We have quarantined them and will dust them Saturday. Because they were housed with 45 other birds, we have our work cut out for us.

You might find it easier to spray them with permethrin. You can get this at Tractor Supply. Mix 5 ml per quart.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Okay, so I'm gonna go though this a section at a time...
First up:


ELDU = extra label drug use = "off label"
From a page on the AVMA website:

"Q: Are pesticides subject to ELDU?

A: The use of pesticides by a veterinarian is not subject to ELDU regulations as these are subject to the primary jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)." Pesticides must always be used according to the instructions on the label.
Source - https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/FAQs/Pages/ELDU-and-AMDUCA-FAQs.aspx

That means that veterinarians cannot prescribe Sevin.



UC published a paper about mite resistance in California, and there is someone in Washington that that has reported mites there are resistant to permethrin, so I guess it depends on what part of the country you live in.

I'll try to find that UC paper.

Thanks for that. I was told wrong by a poultry medical professional but that was right when this all came about and he was kind of aggravated at the time. Maybe he was unclear on the distinction of pesticides versus medications. I'm glad I read to the bottom of that.

I wonder if the medicines people often use for worms that are not labeled for chickens are considered pesticides?

Always an interesting topic.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I appreciated the " off label " reply. Our Vet recommended a lot on treatment for our Swine and Goats labeled for other types of animals only. She uses and recommends and uses them with confidence. Knowledge otherwise we would not obtain unless we consulted her.
She is educated in the field and an asset when having 30 Goats and 20 Pigs as an investment. Chickens are far less deep in our pockets.