Diatomaceous Advice

[clairemcc1]

Has anyone got any experience or suggestions when using Diatomaceous Earth to get rid of mites on poultry? My plan is to treat my 5 girls tomorrow (weather permitting) what is the best way to go about using it? Should I apply it to the bird and coop or only one of them? Any suggestions/tips or advice would be great to help me get rid of these mites once and for all

thanks,
Claire

 

[KrisH]

Apply to birds, nest boxes, dust bath area, pearches, bedding, etc. etc. etc.

if possible treat everyone.

 

[Impress]

Buy a flour sifter for ease of use, it makes it super easy to get it on the birds and everywhere else you want it to go. Just sift sift sift your way around! Make sure you buy FOOD GRADE never just the regular old stuff, if it isn;t food grade it will have lots of nasty dangerous chemicals in it that could hurt or kill your chickens and other animals, if you have any.

 

[Nicole01]

You might also want to buy Sevin dust. I've heard it works better once you have a problem. I use both DE and Sevin dust in my coop as a preventative.

 

[shearwater]

Quote:
I just asked a similar question in the "Chicken Fleas" thread. Mine is Safer Brand DE. It doesn't say "food grade" but does say organic. Does that matter? I don't see that it has any chemicles in it. Cheers.

 

[Woodschick]

I put it in the dust bath ... And I occasionally put it in their food as a natural way to prevent or treat for worms...the guy at the fed store recommended it.

 

[Judy]

This is a very good thread on DE. Read especially post #16 by dawg53, well known here.

I have read of cases of chickens dying of lice/mite infestation with DE being used as the only treatment.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=478958&p=2

 

[write2caroline]

I filled a kitty litter box with it, I put it in a parmasean cheese shaker jar and lid and sometimes I use my hands and rub them with it. It all works and it definately helps.
Caroline

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I just asked a similar question in the "Chicken Fleas" thread. Mine is Safer Brand DE. It doesn't say "food grade" but does say organic. Does that matter? I don't see that it has any chemicles in it. Cheers.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is a dust-like product that contains the crushed fossilized remains of diatoms.

Fossils are not "organic. They are mineral

Safer

Brand Ant and Crawling Insect Killer Powder with Diatomaceous Earth is made from a patented formula containing amorphous diatomaceous earth, known as silicon dioxide.

You can't "make" DE. You dig it out of the ground.

"Amorphous" means it's not been calcined, so it's safe, but I wouldn't buy from a company that lies as much as these folks do

http://www.saferbrand.com/store/insect-control/51702​

 

[southerndesert]

When and if we actually have an infestation we use 7 dust in coop, on birds, roosts, etc. This will kill them on contact and will eliminate the problem more quickly and efficiently than DE

We also use DE as a preventative for lice and mites in same places and it will kill them, we use it as well as in food to prevent weevils etc. I am a BIG fan of it used this way and it works well for us here in Arizona where we see little rain or moist conditions. Location is important when considering DE as it is worthless as a insecticide or deterrent once wet so often folks living in areas with allot of rain and very high humidity do not see the same results as folks in more arid regions.

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