Diatomaceous Earth…To do or not to do?

[lilgreencoop]

I have purchased FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous Earth after many hours reading about it. I have decided to go ahead but I am still a little leery. Feedback from Diatomaceous users would be so helpful!! Out run is so buggy I can hardly stand it! Mostly flies and gnats (that’s what I see anyway) I want to prevent my chickies from getting anything else!
I am going to use a flour sifter in the coop and run. Should I put it under the straw on the floor of the house? How about the nesting boxes? I am thinking no boxes since the eggs will be in there, but I guess it will get every where eventually anyway.

 

[Judy]

If you're going to use it, it needs to be in a manner that minimizes your inhaling it or your chickens inhaling it. It is very irritating to the respiratory tract. It should also be used very sparingly. You should always wear a mask when applying it.

 

[lilgreencoop]

Thanks for the imput. Anyone else?

 

[appps]

Yeah it's a hard one isn't it, I've read as many saying its a must have as saying its a waste of time so I'm on the fence still. The whole don't breathe it its dangerous helps keep me on the fence

Can't help wondering if its one of those old wives tales that gets repeated so often everyone believes it as fact lol.

 

[Mskayladog]

I brought it last year used it once. The stuff is so soft and light it floats in the air. Was not worth risking lung damage to me or the girls.

I clean my poop board and use sweet PDZ it cuts down on flies and drys the poop up, we have gotten 5 inches of rain and I have been throwing it on the floor of the coop to help keep it dry.

If things get bad I add a cup of barn lime to the PDZ and throw it around.

 

[lilgreencoop]

Yes! And then I read about people who mix it with water and drink it daily

I think I am going to give it a try, being very careful and see what happens. I was hoping someone would post who has been using it sucessfully. Maybe for like years and doesn't have cancer yet

 

[lilgreencoop]

I guess the run is what I am more concerned with. The flies in the run are horrible. Do you think that product would help with that?

 

[TXchickmum]

I have never used it. -decided against it due to potential respiratory hazards. I clean, scoop, and sweep on a daily basis so it doesn't seem beneficial to me or the birds to continually stir up the stuff. My chickens do not have mites. They have a nice, clean area to dust bathe and the dirt seems adequate. Flies come around when it rains and the run gets wet. They aren't bad the rest of the time (but again, I scoop the run three to four times per day).

"DE is fossilized algae. Translated, it is ~90% silica (sand), 2-4% alumina (a component of aluminum), and 0.5-2% iron oxide (rust). I can find the same stuff on the floor of any autobody repair shop...as the result of sandblasting old cars." - quoted from a veterinarian

I'm not an "expert", but continuous exposure/inhalation of these components can't be particularly beneficial. Ultimately, it is a risk vs. benefit decision. If it helps somone's particular situation - great. If it is sprinkled about and left alone, there may be very little risk. -just personally not anything in which I'm interested.