Sevin Dust is one of the more popular pesticides as it’s easy to use (you just sprinkle the powder where you want to kill insects and bugs) and is very effective.
If you’re raising backyard chickens, you always have to be sure that any pesticides or other chemicals you’re using are 100% safe to use around your chooks.
I reached out to the manufacturer of Sevin Dust to find out exactly how safe it is to use around my chickens, here’s what they said:
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Is Sevin Dust Safe for Chickens?
I don’t want to take any chances when using pesticides and other chemicals formulated to kill bugs around my chickens.
When I looked up if Sevin Dust was safe to use around chickens online, I saw articles saying it’s perfectly safe.
I wanted greater peace of mind though, so I emailed the customer support team at GardenTech who manufactures and sells Sevin Dust.
To my surprise, they replied saying:
Sevin Dust is NOT labeled to be used around chickens.
Here is a screenshot of the reply I received:
Reading the ‘How to Use’ section on the Sevin Dust label, it says; “Do not allow people or pets to enter the treated area until dusts have settled.”
It also says; “Do not use on animals or humans.”
This makes it very clear that you should never let Sevin Dust come into contact with your chickens.
It also says that animals can roam around where you’ve used Sevin Dust once it’s settled.
But seeing as chickens may eat some of the bugs and insects that have died due to eating or coming into contact with Sevin Dust, I wouldn’t feel comfortable allowing my chickens to do so.
This is probably why GardenTech’s reply to me was to not use Sevin Dust around chickens.
So, the bottom line, as far as I’m concerned, is to err on the side of caution. I’m not going to use Sevin Dust anywhere my chickens are going to roam, even after it’s settled.
Related - Is Cutter Backyard Spray Safe for Chickens?
Sevin Dust Ingredients - What’s In It?
Sevin Dust contains a number of chemicals that are known to be lethal to a wide variety of garden and lawn pests - it even kills the stubborn Japanese Beetle.
The main active ingredient in Sevin Dust is carbaryl. Carbaryl is toxic to humans and is classified as a likely human carcinogen by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.)
Sounds a little scary, doesn’t it? You have to keep in mind that it’s a pesticide, it’s specially formulated to kill as many types of bugs as possible.
If you have any pets at home - not just chickens - make sure you use Sevin Dust very carefully. Always read the label carefully and take all the precautions recommended.
Chickens Are Great at Pest Control!
If you’re raising backyard chickens and also have a problem with pests in your yard - the best natural solution is to allow your chickens to eat all the bugs for you!
Chickens love munching on just about anything that moves. Four legs, six, eight, it doesn’t matter.
If it moves, most chickens will eat it.
Not only do chickens eat most pests, they clearly enjoy it and the proteins and other nutritional content in bugs are great for their health and egg production.
If you’re concerned about giving your chickens access to areas where you’re growing plants, vegetables, etc., you’ll have to do so while monitoring them.
A word of warning; chickens also like munching on plants and scratching around on the ground.
They’re just as capable of causing damage to prized plants as they are gobbling up all the pests so it’s a fine balance.
If you really have a pest control problem and have the capacity for more birds, I recommend looking into getting some Guinea Fowl.
Guinea Fowl are awesome pest control birds. They spend most of their days looking for and eating bugs and will clear your yard of pests in a hurry.
What Can I Dust My Chickens With?
If you’re looking for an effective pest control solution to treat lice and other parasites on your chickens, the best product is diatomaceous earth (DE).
DE is a naturally occurring product made from the sediment of fossilized algae and is incredibly effective at killing all kinds of parasites.
If you get food-grade diatomaceous earth it’s perfectly safe to use around us, too. Here is the food-grade DE I use myself available on Amazon:
Click here to see the price and availability of this diatomaceous earth on Amazon!
All you have to do is sprinkle DE directly onto your chickens, around their coop, in their dust baths, and around your plants.
There are no harmful chemicals, it’s a natural solution - and if you read some of the reviews from DE users, many people say it’s even more effective than chemical-based pesticides.
Related - More on the benefits of diatomaceous earth for chickens.
In Summary
Is Sevin Dust safe for chickens? Despite seeing some people say they use Sevin Dust in areas where their chickens free-range, I will not use it.
GardenTech told me themselves that Sevin Dust should not be used around chickens.
Sevin Dust is a powerful pesticide, it’s better to be safe than sorry and not allow your chickens to come into contact with it, or eat any bugs that have died as a result of ingesting it!
If you have a problem with snakes, please read this post about the risks of using Snake Away around chickens!
