DE on chickens?

[Mayochick61]

Has anyone applied DE directly to their chickens for mites? I use it when I clean the coup and the girls are away.. but I know they can be very sensitive to the fine dust.

 

[guineapeeps]

Has anyone applied DE directly to their chickens for mites? I use it when I clean the coup and the girls are away.. but I know they can be very sensitive to the fine dust.

I had guineas and would sprinkle it around the coop and in their bedding and nesting boxes, but not directly on the birds themselves. I also put either DE or wood ash in their dust bath area for prevention. The few times where I had known mites, I put Seven dust (pesticide) in their dust bath area (in addition to treating the whole coop).

 

[aart]

Has anyone applied DE directly to their chickens for mites? I use it when I clean the coup and the girls are away.. but I know they can be very sensitive to the fine dust.

Yes, they can be.
And DE will not kill, or prevent, a mite infestation.
If your birds have mites, don't fool around get some permethrin and start treating immediately.

 

[guineapeeps]

Yes, they can be.
And DE will not kill, or prevent, a mite infestation.
If your birds have mites, don't fool around get some permethrin and start treating immediately.

Thanks for the clarification on DE

 

[MomJones]

Correction: DE will and does kill poultry mites and all other exoskeleton type insects, both internal as well as external. It's safer than using Permethrins (a synthetic neurotoxin) or Sevin dusts (another neurotoxin). DE is mechanical rather than chemical. The only way it is not effective is if there are no exoskeletons present

 

[Shadrach]

Correction: DE will and does kill poultry mites and all other exoskeleton type insects, both internal as well as external. It's safer than using Permethrins (a synthetic neurotoxin) or Sevin dusts (another neurotoxin). DE is mechanical rather than chemical. The only way it is not effective is if there are no exoskeletons present

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We have used DE on our birds ever since we first got them, and nothing else, and have found it to be safe and effective. For the record, in our ignorance we got swimming-pool grade DE instead of food-grade because we did not know there were two options! The mites had been introduced when we bought chickens from a local breeder and again, ignorantly, did not quarantine the flocks.

When we realized we had a problem, we went out after they had roosted one evening and treated each one individually and thoroughly. We powdered them under their wings, between their legs and as deeply in their feathers as we possibly could from neck to toes. Then we treated the coop just as thoroughly. In the process when we were almost done I did get a little in my eye and had to rinse it thoroughly! It stung and I learned to wear goggles and mask when using it, but no permanent harm was done.

I have also used this same DE on my Sheltie when an act of kindness resulted in her getting fleas, being careful to protect her eyes, also with good results.

I have a friend who insists that only food-grade DE should be used because of possible hazards to lungs. When I run out of this pool-grade stuff in another couple of years, I will probably take her advice. But this huge box of DE I got has already lasted 4 or 5 years because I have only had to use it MAYBE 3 or 4 times, whenever I add new birds to my flock, as a precaution. Works great. No more mites.

 

[MomJones]

Glad you asked. In previous posts I have explained how Diatomaceous Earth works and also how I have personally been using DE since 2015 when I first discovered it's many health benefits for humans (example: if you like sushi, you have parasites) for elimination of internal parasites, as well as dogs (we have six), chickens (we have 26) cats (got two currently) and ourselves of course.

Quick review, please feel free to do your own research:
1. Diatomaceous Earth is literally the crushed shells of diatoms which are found all over the earth. It's a form of Silica. When used in or around anything that has an exoskeleton (mites, fleas, ants, roaches are a few examples) and most internal parasites/worms, the action is mechanical which means it scratches and cuts up their bodies rather than poisoning them--the insects.
2. I always tell people: We are our own guinea pigs. We've been using this stuff on ourselves for internal daily silica benefits as well as external insects control. We dusted baby chickens with it when we found mites on them. We use it everywhere on our own property: in our gardens, around veggies and fruits, in the compost piles, in and around the tool sheds, the shop.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I also want to say that before we realized we even had a mite problem, we nearly lost the rooster to them! We noticed he was dust-bathing more than usual, and then it seemed he was doing almost nothing else. Then he would just lay chest-down on patches of cool grass and I became really concerned. When I picked him up I saw that his breast and belly were red and hot, and then I noticed that he was practically crawling with little insects. I hosed him off to cool him down, which seemed to give him some relief, then dried him off the best I could. We powdered him with DE under his wings, on his neck and back, and he seemed to feel better. That night we DE'd him thoroughly along with the hens as described above and continued to keep an eye on him. He did great after that.

 

[Shadrach]

Glad you asked. In previous posts I have explained how Diatomaceous Earth works and also how I have personally been using DE since 2015 when I first discovered it's many health benefits for humans (example: if you like sushi, you have parasites) for elimination of internal parasites, as well as dogs (we have six), chickens (we have 26) cats (got two currently) and ourselves of course.

Quick review, please feel free to do your own research:
1. Diatomaceous Earth is literally the crushed shells of diatoms which are found all over the earth. It's a form of Silica. When used in or around anything that has an exoskeleton (mites, fleas, ants, roaches are a few examples) and most internal parasites/worms, the action is mechanical which means it scratches and cuts up their bodies rather than poisoning them--the insects.
2. I always tell people: We are our own guinea pigs. We've been using this stuff on ourselves for internal daily silica benefits as well as external insects control. We dusted baby chickens with it when we found mites on them. We use it everywhere on our own property: in our gardens, around veggies and fruits, in the compost piles, in and around the tool sheds, the shop.

I have done my own research. There is zero scientific evidence that DE will eradicate mites. or lice or internal parasites.
My concern is that others may read this and believe that DE will rid their fowl of parasites.
Because DE does not work, this will put the health of their fowl at risk.
Please supply any scientific evidence you have regarding the effectiveness of DE.