Are you supposed to use DE with chicks in the brooder?

[sunnyvalewarren]

Just wondering if you put DE in with the pine shavings while the chicks are in the brooder. I'll be using the DLM once they are in the coop, but just checking about what happens before that...
Thanks!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Just go easy with it. It can be ruff on their lungs at that age. I use a salt shaker to apply it.

 

[scooter147]

Honestly I see no reason to.

 

[patandchickens]

What good could it possibly do????

I mean, chicks are not supposed to be being exposed to mites or worm eggs in the brooder.

I absolutely would not do it myself.

And if you are brooding them somewhere that *does* have a mite or worm problem, the solution is to FIX THAT not rely on DE!

Pat

 

[CityChook]

My brooder was in my house, and I wanted to keep odor on the down low. I put DE into their shavings once they were bigger. It made such a dusty mess. White powdery dust all over EVERYTHING. I didn't make that mistake again. Besides, it's sort of expensive.... I'd save it for when they go into their coop.

 

[patandchickens]

er, of course even *without* DE you would've got white powdery dust over everything, because that is what chicks DO at that age, they shed implausibly huge amounts of a fine greasy greyish-white dander all over creation as they grow new feathers...

Pat

 

[CityChook]

That's right, Pat. Dust everywhere. But it really *was* worse with the DE. I had to clean EVERY DAY and ruined my vacume cleaner from dealing with that chick dust on a daily basis. The brooder was under my desk - that's right - under my *computer.* Not really the brightest bulb when it came to grow'n little baby chicks.... live and learn.

Moral of the story: Build your coop BEFORE getting your chickens.... and save your DE for OUTSIDE.

 

[KSPixieChick]

I just added some to my pine shavings for my 6-7week olds. They absolutely loved it. It was fun watching them flap around and wiggle on their sides.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

mine is mixed in with all my feed to keep bugs out