Coop treated with DE - safe for week old baby chick?!

[Kiki]

Some of the websites regarding DE are insulting to those who use or don't use DE, but the one I found and posted below is not and its informational. I am not trying to insult anyone. This article i posted is what helped me understand DE for lice purposes. I did read the article above that you posted and the author wrote it was there opinion that DE didn't work as a wormer.... I do not feed it to my animals (including my horses), so I cannot say that it works as a wormer. I will buy the food/feed grade because it is safer, but not feed it. Basically incase we all breathe some in or get a little in the mouth (animals included lol).
I do personally think it works to combat lice/mites. Wood ashes from a bon fire or woodstove are also an old natural remedy I've heard to combat lice/mites.. I am going to try this so ill have to let you know if it works!

https://www.backyardchickencoops.com.au/diatomaceous-earth-a-natural-remedy-for-troubled-chickens

Thank you for sharing.
Unfortunately I am not going to even click on the link.
The hundreds of posts I read right here on BYC from recent members prove to me that it does not work for ANYTHING.
@JaeG Is living proof right here in this thread that it doesn't work for mites.

 

[llombardo]

Just a note - I tackled red coop mite and found them happily living in a thick bed of DE that I had in my nestboxes. There's very little available in New Zealand to combat mites but I finally found (after weeks of ineffective treatment) that neem oil worked a treat. I painted the inside of the coop with a 50% mix of neem diluted in warm water and I only had to do it once. Keep checking for mites because when the next generation hatch they will be back. You generally have to treat at least twice to break the life cycle. Neem deals to all stages so it was a one hit wonder that I really needed after 6 weeks of failing to make a dent!

Vetafarm also do a spray called Avian Insect Liquidator that's gentle enough to use on newly hatched finch chicks and gives up to 6 weeks protection against mites. I sprayed it on some mites in the coop just out of interest and they stopped moving very quickly. My girls all got a good spray with that especially on their legs (as the mites climb up them to feed) until I knew I'd won the battle (though with rats around due to the waterway going through our backyard there are always more rats and so always the risk of more red mites as they are a carrier)!

Mites can be mighty frustrating. Hopefully you can get your girls and little chick right.

I wonder of neem powder would work? I treat the dogs with a mixture of DE, neem powder and yarrow.

 

[llombardo]

Thank you for sharing.
Unfortunately I am not going to even click on the link.
The hundreds of posts I read right here on BYC from recent members prove to me that it does not work for ANYTHING.
@JaeG Is living proof right here in this thread that it doesn't work for mites.

It works great on ants, within minutes. I do feed it to my dogs daily for 7 days once a month and no worms ever. Not sure if it's a coincidence, luck or it works.

 

[Kiki]

It works great on ants, without minutes. I do feed it to my dogs daily for 7 days once a month and no worms ever. Not sure if it's a coincidence, luck or it works.

Pure luck for the dogs...it is impossible for DE to kill internal worms, impossible.

 

[lazy gardener]

No matter the grade of DE, it causes lung damage if breathed. If mites are present, IMO, it's time to use a proven miticide. My go to is permethrin powder.

 

[Kiki]

Martin's PERMETHRIN spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• 6
• flies lice mites permethrin

I found this today....easy peasy...no mixing required.

 

[debid]

I use organic fruit tree spray. It's neem and permethrin. Load it in a backpack sprayer as directed and wet the entire coop down. Cheap and effective.

 

[llombardo]

Pure luck for the dogs...it is impossible for DE to kill internal worms, impossible.

Well I'll take that luck..lol

It's worked for many years

 

[Kiki]

Well I'll take that luck..lol

It's worked for many years

Curious...Have you ever had a vet test their poop?
Or are you just not seeing worms.

Do you know that you won't usually ever se worms until they are so infested with them...same goes for chickens.

 

[llombardo]

Curious...Have you ever had a vet test their poop?
Or are you just not seeing worms.

Do you know that you won't usually ever se worms until they are so infested with them...same goes for chickens.

My dogs eat raw, so I do blood tests and fecals at least once a year and twice for the seniors. Clean every time. I have 7 dogs, one had worms when I brought her home, but that was it and that was almost 7 yrs ago.