California - Northern

[alibra]

Would DE repel lice and mites if put in the nesting boxes and on my chickens?

 

[ronott1]

Would DE repel lice and mites if put in the nesting boxes and on my chickens?

Yes, it will repel them and keep them down. They should be treated with something stronger if they have mites or lice.

 

[PetRock]

Would DE repel lice and mites if put in the nesting boxes and on my chickens?

You are going to get answers on both sides of the fence to that question. I think that most people are going to say no but I have a friend who swears by it. Her big Jersey Giant rooster had a bad case of mites more than a year ago and she dusted him liberally with DE. The mites went away and he is happily ruling his harem! I do use DE in the bedding in the coop and in the nest boxes with pine shavings. Has it helped prevent mites and lice? I have no answer for that one. I like that it helps dry the poop and that helps minimize the smell.

My Pita Pinta breeding flock at the farm has what I think are mites. I don't see any on them but they are losing their feathers around their necks and not in a being bred pattern. They are starting to look like naked neck Pita Pintas! Even Zorro has the problem. I've treated them for mites with Frontline and put a lot of DE in the nest boxes with new pine shavings. Last night, I put a big plastic tray in their coop with sand and DE in it for dust bathing. Friday, I am going to put more DE (ran out) and wood ash in it. I am trying to not use chemicals that will get in the ground if possible since my friends try to raise everything as organically as possible. But I think that we are going to need to move the coop hoops to a new spot and spray the nest boxes and roost. Jenny agreed with me that if we have to use chemicals, we do. I am also going to finally order some of those mite strips, Ron!

 

[ronott1]

You are going to get answers on both sides of the fence to that question. I think that most people are going to say no but I have a friend who swears by it. Her big Jersey Giant rooster had a bad case of mites more than a year ago and she dusted him liberally with DE. The mites went away and he is happily ruling his harem! I do use DE in the bedding in the coop and in the nest boxes with pine shavings. Has it helped prevent mites and lice? I have no answer for that one. I like that it helps dry the poop and that helps minimize the smell.

My Pita Pinta breeding flock at the farm has what I think are mites. I don't see any on them but they are losing their feathers around their necks and not in a being bred pattern. They are starting to look like naked neck Pita Pintas! Even Zorro has the problem. I've treated them for mites with Frontline and put a lot of DE in the nest boxes with new pine shavings. Last night, I put a big plastic tray in their coop with sand and DE in it for dust bathing. Friday, I am going to put more DE (ran out) and wood ash in it. I am trying to not use chemicals that will get in the ground if possible since my friends try to raise everything as organically as possible. But I think that we are going to need to move the coop hoops to a new spot and spray the nest boxes and roost. Jenny agreed with me that if we have to use chemicals, we do. I am also going to finally order some of those mite strips, Ron!

Go organic as much as possible is a good way to go.

 

[Michael Apple]

Would DE repel lice and mites if put in the nesting boxes and on my chickens?

Mites like to hide in cracks and crevices when not on birds. With the amount of DE applied, I don't think it is effective or good for chickens to ingest it in their air sacs since they scratch around in nests. When birds get lice or mites, it is best to treat them and clean out all litter from the coop, shop vac it, then with a mix in a yard and garden sprayer, apply a mix of permethrin or Rabon emulsified concentrate to roosts, nests, walls, floors, ceiling, and any cracks and crevices. Vacate the birds during the day when you do this, and once coop premises are dry, and new shavings put in, birds can have access to housing again. Sevin 5 powder is effective if you want to dust birds, though Permectrin II and Ravap EC are two concentrates that I prefer, and are labeled for use on poultry. I clean out and treat my coops about every 3 months. I paint/spray roosts every month. I don't have mites or lice with this program I use. Of course you know a attractive dusting area is good to provide your birds if they don't create one on their own in the yard or property somewhere.

 

[Audio51]

Quote:
Ron....how are you be able to tell that young with the TJ eggs? I hatched 5 Rock Island chicks and they looked very similar to these, even though the people at Judy's Farm (Rock Island eggs supplier) said they use a RIR hybrid and all of thier birds are brown. I lost one so have 4 left. They ended up being 3 pullets and a cockerel.

 

[ronott1]

Ron....how are you be able to tell that young with the TJ eggs? I hatched 5 Rock Island chicks and they looked very similar to these, even though the people at Judy's Farm (Rock Island eggs supplier) said they use a RIR hybrid and all of thier birds are brown. I lost one so have 4 left. They ended up being 3 pullets and a cockerel.

I added an asterisk and said I really could not tell yet.

Odds are there will be at least two though. We will find out soon--Leghorns crow early and get big combs for the boys.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote: I agree.

If you decide you want Barred Rocks, @kathyinmo and @Fred's Hens have great birds. This is my BR hen from Kathy:

Quote:

I looked at organic feed, it's $35 for a 40 or 50 lb bag. (don't remember the bag size)

And it still has soy in it. And almost all organic soy comes from China.

Do you have any sources to verify almost all organic soy comes from China?

I've been talking with local organic farmers. The article Ron posted was a good read, thanks Ron. Also, I found this one:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/20...organic-eggs-eat-imported-food-and-its-pricey

 

[debs_flock]

Quote:
Yes, thanks.

Thanks, I've been pretty happy with my line.

Thanks, I do love the pattern on the barreds.

But it's pretty cool that these little guys had the odds stacked against them and were almost certain to end on the breakfast table.
They just won the lotto!
...unless there IS a boy. He might end up on the dinner table

 

[TheKeeper]

For all you duck people out there...