Diatomaceous Earth, Does It Work?

[chickensrock12]

So my chickens one day stopped laying and I didn't know why. I did my research and found they have mites and worms. Then I discovered DE, this was 2 weeks ago. I still don't know if will work, but I'm hopeful that they will start to lay again when it gets warmer. I got rid of all of the mice, birds, noises, and the kids to stay away from them. So, they are basically stress free. I have gotten a chicken step feeder and a new waterier, so nothing can get in except water in the feeder. I need to close the openings, but its small enough nothing can get in but bugs(which the chickens will eat) and water. I'm sure this works and if it doesn't work I'll tell you guys. Maybe I got the wrong kind of Diatomaceous Earth.

 

[BluesLadies]

I buy the red lake brand food grade and cover pretty much everywhere the chickens are and I add a good amount to the dust areas along with some wood ash. Not sure if it helps but we've never had a problem with mites. For the worms I feed Greek yogurt that's been frozen when it's hot and I mix it in with the fermented feed when it's cold. They get ff twice a week. I worm twice a year as prevention using drops in their water that I bought from a farm supply warehouse. Since I started the ff I have noticed significantly more eggs and less incidents where I've been suspicious of parasites.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Be careful using DE, as it's a respiratory irritant to both humans and chickens. Some folks swear by, I personally will never use it. I also don't like that it indiscriminately kills all bugs that come across it, which basically strips the environment of helpful bugs and microbes and can leave dead soil which in my opinion is way worse than a few mites and lice.

Mites live in the coop in cracks and, lice on the birds. I prefer to use a pyrethrin based poultry powder and use it as needed, both on the bird and in roost cracks and possibly in the bottom of the nest boxes. I also use plain old barn lime as a drying agent to help keep parasites getting a hold. I use it after a coop clean out, dusting the floor, nestboxes and roosts.

Most chickens will have some of both parasites at some point in their life. They control the numbers by dust bathing. I have only needed to dust broody hens, never healthy birds. Make sure they have a good dusting area. That where I would use the DE if I was using it, but things like peat and wood ash are better alternatives in my opinion.

 

[aart]

@chickensrock12 that safer brand is not food grade.......so no, not the right stuff.

@BluesLadies Red Lake brand tho food grade DE, is often mostly bentonite clays, read the label/ingredients carefully.

DE will not kill internal parasites(worms) in chickens......and will not do a darn thing for an infestation of external parasites.

DE might help deter mites from taking up residence in cracks and crevices of the coop structure.
But I would not use it anywhere it can become airborne(bedding, dust baths, etc) because of the respiratory risks and it's 'kill all insects' aspect.

The only place I've found DE to be actively effective is when I had grain mites in the feed bags.

 

[Folly's place]

Permethrin spray is the best! If you are going strictly organic, you can use pyrethrin. Mary

 

[chickensrock12]

@chickensrock12 that safer brand is not food grade.......so no, not the right stuff.

@BluesLadies Red Lake brand tho food grade DE, is often mostly bentonite clays, read the label/ingredients carefully.

DE will not kill internal parasites(worms) in chickens......and will not do a darn thing for an infestation of external parasites.

DE might help deter mites from taking up residence in cracks and crevices of the coop structure.
But I would not use it anywhere it can become airborne(bedding, dust baths, etc) because of the respiratory risks and it's 'kill all insects' aspect.

The only place I've found DE to be actively effective is when I had grain mites in the feed bags.

I'm so excited, its been 3 weeks now and yesterday I got a couple of eggs. That bag said food grade on the back and said if you are using for fowl it should take at least 2 to 5 weeks for it to kick in. Also, the feed store recommend this to me for my chickens.

 

[aart]

Quote: Of course they did, they wanted you to buy some.
But people will believe what they want to believe.

 

[chickensrock12]

Well I'm going to give it a thumbs up! I believe it works because what the package says and learning from peoples other experiences with it that they told me about. They said if its white it will work. I found all of the mites dead and their scales on their legs getting smaller. Also, right before they stopped laying they had poop on their eggs and I learned that means the have worms. They had no poop on their eggs at all.

 

[chickensrock12]

Let's try to be nice to each other. Ok, we are fighting about something small. I know you and me have opinions on different stuff, but that doesn't mean we can't get along.

 

[Kiki]

Well I'm going to give it a thumbs up! I believe it works because what the package says and learning from peoples other experiences with it that they told me about. They said if its white it will work. I found all of the mites dead and their scales on their legs getting smaller. Also, right before they stopped laying they had poop on their eggs and I learned that means the have worms. They had no poop on their eggs at all.

I have a question for you.
You stated you saw mites on your chickens...how did you find out they had worms? Did you see them too?
How did you use the DE to get rid of the mites and worms?
Did you put it on the chickens and in their feed?