DIATOMACEOUS EARTH...Does It Work??? Fleas, Ticks, Lice, Internal?

[Hanh3197]

I'm really curious about this... It seems awesome to mix in with their bedding.
I plan on using sand and mixing this in with it INSIDE the coop. Has this worked to keep away pests???

 

[mljohnson05]

Yes!

 

[Matt A NC]

No. Even while using it liberally there was still an infestation of Lice last year. I had DE all over the coops, the runs, and the dusting holes had a good amount mixed in.

Matt

 

[Hanh3197]

Hmmmm......

YES: 1
NO: 1
Anyone Else?
I guess you just have to try for yourself huh?.....

 

[totallytang]

I use it in addition to Poultry Protector Concentrate and I would say it works. I always apply human grade DE with a face mask on because one time I breathed some in and I felt like I was going to die, but then I am sensitive to that kind of stuff.

 

[Matt A NC]

The truth is that you will find folks that swear by it and others, like me, that have found it useless. There are always at least 2 sides to every product.

Matt

 

[Pebbles]

Yes, from my experience. HOWEVER, if it gets wet it is not effective until it dries. I am in Arizona so keeping it dry is not a problem. My girls have never had mites, lice or any type of little bug and I have never had any problem with smells or odors. I sprinkle it all over the run and coop and in the areas they like to dust bathe. I fling it all over inside the coop. Great stuff!! Just be sure to wear gloves and a mask over your mouth and nose, it is extremely drying.

Be sure to buy food grade from the feed store-NOT the kind at Home Depot for swimming pools. Home Depot also carries it with the pest contol sprays but it is expense to the 50# bag you can get at the feed store.

 

[MomKat]

I am going to say a cautious yes. I had ants in my coop, so I cleaned it out and sprinkled the DE liberally in it. (The chickens were refusing to use it anyway!) Next day - lots of dead ants and other things! I have sprinkled it through their enclosure, too, in hopes of keeping bugs away.

 

[hcppam]

you can get food grade DE on eBay if your feed store doesn't carry it...I have no lice problem, but I use it none the less.

 

[WendyGrama]

Wow, I was just going to post this question and found this topic. I have food grade and was going to use it for dusting. I'm in AZ too so mostly dry conditions though when it rains, it monsoons!

Thought I would rake some in to the new pen before they got in there and use it to dust the coop when cleaning.

The only luck I have had with it is deterring ants from one place to another....'Were back..." Our local harvester ants borrow like 15' down. DE will drive them to come up in another location but it doesn't seem to kill the nest.

I've never used it for much else, other than in my earth plaster on interior walls, makes a good lightening agent to our red/red earth & sand!