Spraying for Deer Ticks

[rocklobster]

Hello.

I am considering getting chickens for eggs and possibly meat. We currently have our yard commercially sprayed regularly with a permathrin based spray to kill Deer ticks on my property. I had a very bad case of Lyme Disease and do not want it again. More importantly, I'd hate for my 2 yr old son and wife to get it.

Is it possible to raise chickens and continue to have the property sprayed? Does anyone do this now? I was thinking I could keep them penned up during the application but then I worry they will be eating dead bugs with spray on it.

Any thoughts. I know this may be a controversial post.

Joe

 

[cybercat]

You can not have chickens out free ranging if yard is sprayed. Chickens eat ticks and other bugs so would be poisend. Even if you had them penned I would not do it for the air carries the spray a long distance. So to answer your question No do not own chickens if spraying yard.

 

[cobrien]

I don't know the answer to your question but I'm not convinced the spray will harm the chickens because permethrin is used for mite control in poultry:
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/2/2-5/Laura_E_John.html

You might want to call a local avian vet or your state agricultural department for advice or maybe some experts will chime in here on BYC. This is your decision of course and I really don't like preachy types and I do try to avoid the knee jerk reaction, but have you considered any alternatives? I've read scary things about this pesticide but I am certainly no expert. But by spraying the whole yard you are likely killing many beneficial and harmless insects (bees?!), and to be honest I would not want to be your neighbor and have that stuff get into my garden. If water runoff from your property gets into a water supply then you could be doing some environmental damage ( from http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/permethrin_fs.htm):

Permethrin is highly toxic to both freshwater and estuarine aquatic organisms. Most agricultural, public health, and down-the-drain scenarios modeled resulted in exceedances in the acute risk quotient (RQ) for freshwater and estuarine fish, invertebrates, and sediment organisms. The agricultural and public health scenarios also showed the potential for chronic risks to estuarine and/or freshwater organisms. Further, there is a potential concern for direct effects to a variety of aquatic organisms.

Okay end of the preaching (sorry)! Note the above site does not mention any risk to livestock or avian species. Good luck with your decision.