Spray for Mosquitos

[4kids*2dogs]

We get our yard sprayed for mosquitos every year. We live in a very wooded area and have an ENORMOUS amount of mosquitos that can be untollerable in the spring/summer/fall.

I am concerned about my chickens though! My chicks arrive next week. The mosquito spraying company said that as long as you keep them in their coop for a couple of hours after spraying, they will be fine. They would have to eat a lot of it in order for it to affect them. But we do plan to free range for a couple of hours each day. Yikes!

Do you think this is even a good idea anymore? Any suggestions about how other people manage mosquitos when they have chickens?

 

[montanasandy]

I think I would find out exactly what the chemical is and then do your research. That way you can find out what the chemical does and how it effects chickens and the environment.
I personally would not do it. But I don't live in a place with very many mosquito's.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know what product you are getting sprayed. Different products are going to have different effects. Different products will last different time periods. If you can find out what product they are using, you can do additional research on that specific product.

Mosquitoes are pretty tiny. I really doubt your chickens will actually eat any or many of them, especially if they are dead and not moving. They are just too small. I'd be a lot more concerned about the air they breathe during and right after spraying that them eating dead mosquitoes. I have seen chickens eating ants, which are even bigger than most mosquitoes, but they were alive and moving. Most of the time, mine ignore ants. They are too small to bother with.

Chicks could be more vulnerable that adults. I'd try to keep them away from the spray, even moreso that the adults. And if you are really concerned, don't let them out for a couple of days after the spraying.

 

[JustOneMore]

You may not NEED to spray once your chickens start eating the bugs!

We live on the edge of a swamp and have ALWAYS had major bug issues. Black flies in June give way to huge Skeeters in July through October. We have a beautiful deck in the front of the house that generally has a 3-5 minute time limit for use, even with torches going and heavy duty bug spray on us.

Last year was our first with hens, who live in the back yard. We spent many a summer afternoon/evening hanging out back watching "the ladies" doing their chicken thing. Each jump to snatch a bug from mid air brought us squeals of delight. After a few weeks with the chickens, we had company for dinner. Out we went to the beautiful front deck ... for about 3 minutes! So we tried the back yard ... it was bug free!!!

For the first time, our plain, boring, back yard became the place to be for summer nights.

This year's young pullets will be spending the summer next to the deck out front while the seasoned ladies continue to patrol the back yard.

 

[4kids*2dogs]

Thank you! It will be interesting to see if the chickens help control the Mosquitos. I will definitely find out what is in the spray. I am not concerned so much if they eat the dead Mosquitos. I am concerned if they eat contaminated grass and it's effects on the eggs we will be eating. I just wonder how long the grass would be dangerous for them to eat. They did tell me not to let the kids eat the wild raspberries without washing them first so that threw up a red flag.