DE or no DE, that is my question!

[6PeckinChickens]

My 6 girls' coop has a wood floor with a 30' X45' enclosed prison yard. I am doing the DLM in the coop. I sprinkle DE very light on the pine shavings. I have recently started to compost kitchen scraps and yard clippings. I have read different things about DE, some people love it and some people say to stay away! I would like to hear everyone's thoughts on using DE or not and why.

My questions are, Can I still compost the litter if I have a waiting period? Is there something else I should use instead of the DE?

 

[jennyf]

I added DE when I first got my hens about 18 months ago but have since stopped except in their dust bath. I try to keep the coop and run pretty clean (scooping and picking poop) and the kids and I spend a decent amount of time out there, and seeing the dust fly around and knowing breathing it is very hazardous, I stopped. No issues with parasites or anything.

 

[chicks are life]

placed de and it killed one of my favorite pullets!!!!

Chickens have sensitive respiratory system that gets irrated easily.

I use permethrin 10 it kills mites instantly.!!!!!!!its carried at tractor supply

 

[Folly's place]

DE is vastly overrated as to it's use with chickens, and is a severe respiratory irritant. For me, the negatives count way more than the (supposed) advantages. Permethrin spray if and when lice or mites arrive, and maybe some wood ash in dusting sites, or not. There are folks here who seem to advocate vinegar and DE as cure-alls for everything, and it's amazing! Sort of like the magic potients offered in those 'good old days'. Mary

 

[chicks are life]

X2
Its straight dangerous if used as just a powder!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

DE is vastly overrated as to it's use with chickens, and is a severe respiratory irritant. For me, the negatives count way more than the (supposed) advantages. Permethrin spray if and when lice or mites arrive, and maybe some wood ash in dusting sites, or not. There are folks here who seem to advocate vinegar and DE as cure-alls for everything, and it's amazing! Sort of like the magic potients offered in those 'good old days'. Mary

X2.....
Also, DE and DLM are incompatible

 

[6PeckinChickens]

Looks like I have more research to do and options to think about!

 

[Kiki]

NO DE.

 

[biophiliac]

wood floor with a 30' X45' enclosed prison yard.

That's how mine view their run - 'the prison yard'

 

[6PeckinChickens]

That's how mine view their run - 'the prison yard'

Happy to hear I'm not the only one! With a fence, burried wire around the exterior, netting with a 33 lb break threshold and then barbed wire its for sure a prison yard! I wanted razor wire but hubby thought it was too much! LOL