DE and Hemp in coop

[SamIamNam786]

Best to not have any wire mesh on the floor of the run if possible, as birds can dig quite deep. The apron by itself will exclude predators and most pests.

Do I attach the apron to the outside bottom of the run using those plastic ties (ugh forgetting the name of it now!)

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do I attach the apron to the outside bottom of the run using those plastic ties (ugh forgetting the name of it now!)

What is your run made of? It's much better to attach the apron as securely as possible, either with a bit of overlap onto the fence and screwed in with fender washers or with trim wood over the frame, assuming the run is wood. To attach it to the ground, landscape staples work in most cases.

This post shows a very well installed apron with trim wood over the mesh: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[BDutch]

A lot of us avoid DE as it's a respiratory irritant and really doesn't do anything against parasites

I use food grade DE for 8 years now, mixed with sand. Ad about 5% in volume to the sand under the bedding in the nest-boxes and to their favourite dry sand-bath spot. My chickens never had any respiratory problems.

Besides that I ad water to DE to use is as a paint in the coop (wood with cracks). Its sticks to the walls, roost and joints, and dries quickly. Its easy to see if it wears off and I need to reapply it on the roosts quite often.

In the first year I didn’t use DE and got red mites in the coop. After that I used DE and the red mites stayed away for 8 years while we have wild song birds coming in the run every day. Some even get in the coop.
Red mites infestations are a burden for all chicken keepers in the Netherlands. DE is used by factory farmers too because permethrin and other poisons are not allowed anymore for chickens that produce eggs and meat.

I got a bit sloppy in applying and controlling. The red mites settled in this spring when I had chicks and new broodies in the old small coop and the nest boxes. It wasn’t too bad and under control after about 3 weeks. Cleaning twice, more DE and herbal supplements in the feed and water. Only used permetrin on a determined broody who was occupying the nestbox and stopped laying eggs.

My chickens never had worms, feather lice, scaly leg mites, etc. Not sure what the effect was of using the DE, but I think many people regularly have problems with parasites. And I didn’t.

I dear to say that DE is not a perfect in preventing an infestation, but I’m convinced it helpt me over the years.

 

[SamIamNam786]

I use food grade DE for 8 years now, mixed with sand. Ad about 5% in volume to the sand under the bedding in the nest-boxes and to their favourite dry sand-bath spot. My chickens never had any respiratory problems.

Besides that I ad water to DE to use is as a paint in the coop (wood with cracks). Its sticks to the walls, roost and joints, and dries quickly. Its easy to see if it wears off and I need to reapply it on the roosts quite often.

In the first year I didn’t use DE and got red mites in the coop. After that I used DE and the red mites stayed away for 8 years while we have wild song birds coming in the run every day. Some even get in the coop.
Red mites infestations are a burden for all chicken keepers in the Netherlands. DE is used by factory farmers too because permethrin and other poisons are not allowed anymore for chickens that produce eggs and meat.

I got a bit sloppy in applying and controlling. The red mites settled in this spring when I had chicks and new broodies in the old small coop and the nest boxes. It wasn’t too bad and under control after about 3 weeks. Cleaning twice, more DE and herbal supplements in the feed and water. Only used permetrin on a determined broody who was occupying the nestbox and stopped laying eggs.

My chickens never had worms, feather lice, scaly leg mites, etc. Not sure what the effect was of using the DE, but I think many people regularly have problems with parasites. And I didn’t.

I dear to say that DE is not a perfect in preventing an infestation, but I’m convinced it helpt me over the years.

Wow I never thought of applying it as a paint. That’sa great idea! Do you use lime or Pdz as well?

 

[BDutch]

Wow I never thought of applying it as a paint. That’sa great idea! Do you use lime or Pdz as well?

No they don’t sell those in the agri/pet shop here (NL).

They do sell something they call dove paint, or coop whitening paint that contains much chalk.
And also spray flacons with DE. But thats way more expensive to use.

 

[Debbie292d]

My chickens never had worms, feather lice, scaly leg mites, etc. Not sure what the effect was of using the DE, but I think many people regularly have problems with parasites. And I didn’t.

I dear to say that DE is not a perfect in preventing an infestation, but I’m convinced it helpt me over the years.

DITTO! Our chickens free range with the squirrels, chipmunks, mourning doves, wild birds, all of whom can carry lice and mites. Their dust baths outside and coop inside has DE reapplied every 2-3 weeks, and we have never had an issue.

 

[clothespin]

My husband is a leading hemp scientist (at a university) and... hemp hurd does not have any anti insect properties. Any insect repellent features of hemp are found in terpenes and other biochemicals found elsewhere in the plant - not the middle of the stem.

 

[David61]

DE, Don't Ever.

 

[BDutch]

DE, Don't Ever.

I do, always. Mix it in the sand of their dustbath. Never had any problems with it. And it probably benefits against parasites, just like or maybe even better than ashes.

Never had scaly leg mites, feather lice, worm problems. Red mites have a different strategy and I needed to eliminate those monsters twice in 9 years of BYC with lots of sparrows coming into the run and coop.