Starting to get paranoid about using things like diatomaceous earth on my chickens :(

[Yukonn15]

Permethrin is commonly used to spray on horses feet and legs to keep flies off in the summer.

 

[TexasNette]

DE food grade is not going to make you sick. I’ve know multiple people who have used it for various purposes for years. It is even recommended for personal use. I’m not sure what your concern is, unless you aren’t using food grade.

 

[WthrLady]

So, after revisiting some articles warning about the dangers of Diatomaceous Earth, and now I've successfully managed to freak myself out over chemicals that could make me sick.

Any reccomendations for things to prevent mites that won't kill
me in the future? This kind of stuff manages to freak me out a lot, so using better products would be more reassuring

DE is not a chemical, it's a micro fossil.
The dead and fossilized body parts of diatoms that used to float around prehistoric seas.
I've been using it for over a decade and no problems. Try not to inhale it or get it in your eyes, just as you wouldn't use a Mr.Clean eraser as a bath sponge.

 

[WthrLady]

Permethrin is commonly used to spray on horses feet and legs to keep flies off in the summer.

And the amount of permethrin I've ended up wearing spraying stock or stalls is insane.

 

[WthrLady]

That's awful! But, thank you!

True. But she could have also had a dander,mold, straw, ammonia allergy/sensitivity, or poultry keeper's lung. But if you have pre-existing issues, adding the fine, abrasive dust of DE to the mix is not optimal.
FYI always make sure you tell your doctor you keep poultry or livestock when you go in. There are things we can pick up that they don't even think of unless you tell them.

 

[ChicksnMore]

I've also used DE. I've never had a lice infestation and I'm in a bone dry desert environment. I've been using it for a little over 10 years and use food grade DE. I dust the crevices in my coop when I clean but have never dusted my chickens.

I did give some to a neighbor who's chickens were going bald and their feather problem did stop...but I also told her to try letting her chickens out to free range as much as possible, or at the minimum give them a place to take a dust bath, and to add veggies to their diet...so can't say if it was the DE that helped...lol.

My big chickens get to free range daily and I think thats what keeps them lice free. They take daily dustbaths in the sandy bottom of our wash...a wash is like a streambed that only has running water right after a rain. Now I have a bunch of little chickens that can't always be let out because of hawks (we have a hawk that seems to be building a nest in our tree this year) so I'm very interested in this thread. I suspect I'll have to deal with lice at some point with these little guys.

 

[Stablecoop]

So, after revisiting some articles warning about the dangers of Diatomaceous Earth, and now I've successfully managed to freak myself out over chemicals that could make me sick.

Any reccomendations for things to prevent mites that won't kill
me in the future? This kind of stuff manages to freak me out a lot, so using better products would be more reassuring

Hi! I have an unpopular opinion that I am sure I will get grief from. But… my phone experience with DE treatment for northern fowl mites was 100%

So, after revisiting some articles warning about the dangers of Diatomaceous Earth, and now I've successfully managed to freak myself out over chemicals that could make me sick.

Any reccomendations for things to prevent mites that won't kill
me in the future? This kind of stuff manages to freak me out a lot, so using better products would be more reassuring

Hi! I have an unpopular opinion, so I am sure I will get some grief here. We successfully treated a northern fowl mite infestation in our flock over the winter using DE. Since NFM spend their lives on the host as opposed to moving back and forth from coop structures to host, they were easier to target. I applied DE directly to vents and under wings every night while birds were roosted. I used a Harris puffer to do this, which greatly reduced airborne DE. I did this for several mite life cycles (and a little more), wore a mask every time, and the mites were completely eliminated. The flock was also under vet supervision, and we were ready to treat with ivermectin drench. The drench was not needed because the DE resolved the problem. This was in December. There have been no respiratory repercussions for the birds or their humans. We were careful with the handling of the DE and wore PPE. The nightly applications took about 15 minutes per treatment. The flock is still mite free. It’s helpful to identify the pest carefully, as this approach would not have worked with a red mite or other pest specie infestation.

 

[Blooie]

I have kept a flock since 2012 and DE has always been my go to for parasites. Just make sure you get the food grade kind not the one for pools. I get it at tractor supply. It is harmless to people. i don’t know if mites were bad this past year or because of the wild birds but I am currently treating my flock with DE. Or if you would rather spray your flock I recently got a recipe 10 oz. Water, 1oz garlic juice, 1teaspoon of a combination of different essential oils, like lavender, clove, lemon.

It is harmless to people

Then why do they need a health warning on the back of the bag?

 

[NaperLix]

Permethrin is safe for people,sprayed for ticks,Worn on cloths soaked in it,that you buy in many stores.I dust my chickens twice over back under wings ,quickly 30 seconds,Twice in summer.They are not in the grass, however.
D earth is always warned about by vets.It’s like baby powder in your lungs,very bad for birds.
Spray permethrin in coops,let dry before they come in will keep clean as well.

 

[Stablecoop]

Then why do they need a health warning on the back of the bag?

Yes, DE is definitely NOT harmless, if it was, it would be of little use for dessicating pests. If applied directly on vents/under wings while wearing a good fitting mask, chances of it getting in lungs are substantially reduced. But it is a great choice for those seeking organic alternatives, and for protecting species that are not target pests. If used correctly on specific pests, it’s an effective and safe treatment.