DE not effective on mites?

[Lowe5749]

Ok so here's my problem. I am trying to keep my chickens natural no meds ect. I bought a fifty lb bag of DE when i got my chickens and i spread it all over the coop floor (block building with hay on the floor) in the nesting boxes and even mix it in their food( it is food grade) and i do this once every two weeks as i clean out the coop and lay new hay. One of my maran roosters was acting strange so i picked him up to check him out and he has mites under his wings? I heard that DE would kill parasites so im kinda confused on this one am i doing something wrong?

 

[Chick Charm]

DE is good for the chickens to EAT and BATHE in. It is best for ingestion to help with parasites internally. For mites I would get some meds from the feed store. I don't think DE will help once those mites are established.

I am no expert. But at this point DE will not hurt the bathing chicken but I don't think it will get rid of them just by bathing your chicken in the DE.

Hope the best for ya.

 

[supermom1185]

I would like to know as well. I bought DE to spread around my coops but didn't know if I should put it everywhere or just where they dust bathe?

 

[Lowe5749]

Ok thanks I was told to use seven dust but i really didnt want to. Should i keep spreading the DE in the coop?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

DE is good for the chickens to EAT and BATHE in. It is best for ingestion to help with parasites internally. For mites I would get some meds from the feed store. I don't think DE will help once those mites are established.

I am no expert. But at this point DE will not hurt the bathing chicken but I don't think it will get rid of them just by bathing your chicken in the DE.

Hope the best for ya.

I have read the opposite. That DE is not a good treatment or preventative for internal parasites and should be used externally. Be careful how much you are feeding your chickens as it can cause dehydration due to the very nature of how it works. My understanding is that it works most effectively on bugs with exoskeletons. If you have studies to the contrary I would be very interested in reading them.

Like any dust it is not a great thing to be breathing in for you or your birds -- just something to keep in mind.

To the OP -- DE is a natural pesticide that helps prevent mites but it is not perfect or a catch all and if your bird is not dusting himself in the DE then you will need to treat directly. Eating DE does not prevent external bugs. The DE needs to come into direct contact with the living mite to kill it -- it works by absorbing moisture and dehydrating the bug to death. You will need to repeat every 7-10 days as it will not kill eggs.

Mites are a common problem and whenever I buy new pullets they tend to have them. I usually try DE first and it tends to work. If the problem is very bad then you may beed to resort to something stronge to clear up the issue. Make sure you clean out the whole coop and all the bedding as well if it is mites.

 

[Chick Charm]

My chickens and quail love bathing in it and eating at it. Funny seeing a chicken that is all white from the DE. Sevin will work effectively. I know you are trying to avoid this but it is my personal belief that it will be 100 times more effective than DE at this point.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

6 concrete blocks set in a rectangle pattern and the resulting hollow filled with hardwood ashes from a fireplace or wood burning stove makes a good natural dust bathing area for your chickens.

The lye in the ashes do help burn through the external skeletons of the little creepy crawlies and the ashes do a fine job of cleaning feathers. Also make sure that you are dealing with chicken MITES of whatever species and not with fowl LICE. It is not a bad thing to add a little Sevin 5% dust to the ashes. Do not use ashes if you cannot maintain a completely dry environment.

 

[Michael Apple]

I stopped using dusts years ago. Dusty and you have to dust a second time in 10 days. Get some Permectrin II and use about 1 oz per 1.5 gallons of water for a dip or spray. You could also use Ravap EC which is 2.5 oz per gallon. You can use it as a premise spray too.

 

[Lowe5749]

6 concrete blocks set in a rectangle pattern and the resulting hollow filled with hardwood ashes from a fireplace or wood burning stove makes a good natural dust bathing area for your chickens.

The lye in the ashes do help burn through the external skeletons of the little creepy crawlies and the ashes do a fine job of cleaning feathers.  Also make sure that you are dealing with chicken MITES of whatever species and not with fowl LICE.  It is not a bad thing to add a little Sevin 5% dust to the ashes. Do not use ashes if you cannot maintain a completely dry environment.

Are lice and mites treated different or will the dust or dip kill both? I think they are mites they are beetle looking small and brown.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Chicken mites are little spiders with 8 legs and oval bodies, while chicken lice are even smaller and insects to boot with 6 legs and segmented bodies. The same insecticides that will kill one will kill the other but it may not CONTROL the target species, that is why you need to know which pest you are dealing with.

To kill (control) mites living part time on the pen or coop, mix one pint used motor oil with one pint diesel fuel and add 2 ml of liquid GuardStar 40 insecticide, mix well and then use an old paint brush to coat the roost, dob the cracks, and wooden coop joints. That way if the birds are also treated with a water based premise spray or dip the mites are denied a safe heaven or sanctuary from which to recolonize the flock.

A equal amount of GuardStar 40 mixed with a liter or quart of water makes an effective premise spray, and a little puff of this spray on the rump, on the back, and under each wing will kill both mites and lice. It can also be applied at night with little difficulty. Like Michael I dislike dusting because it needs to be repeated before control is established, however a little Sevin 5% Dust in a location where chickens dust themselves without my having to do it is a gift to Miss Chicken Mite that just keeps on giving.

A dip works well on livestock like chickens but it can be a little messy,

and even though I have dipped my share of chickens I did not think there was anyone left as old school as that. Good luck Michael.