Excellent article with tons of good tips for cleaning coops!
I'm one of those believers who uses food-grade diatomaceous earth twice a month, sometimes once a month when I slack, and in 10 years have never seen a mite or lice on a chicken or in our coop. They still get SLM (scaly leg mites), but nothing can keep those away; they just have to be treated when they get them.
Ours free-range, so prevention is important as they're foraging where squirrels, chipmunks, and wild birds do. They'd be prone to all kinds of bugs otherwise!
I'm one of those believers who uses food-grade diatomaceous earth twice a month, sometimes once a month when I slack, and in 10 years have never seen a mite or lice on a chicken or in our coop. They still get SLM (scaly leg mites), but nothing can keep those away; they just have to be treated when they get them.
Ours free-range, so prevention is important as they're foraging where squirrels, chipmunks, and wild birds do. They'd be prone to all kinds of bugs otherwise!
