Diatomaceous Earth in the coop litter?

[rockstar]

We have had a lot of rain this year, but our soil is sandy so it doesn't make a mud hole of the chicken run. We have very few flies around so I don't think there is a problem. The chicken house smell is not offensive, so I think the DE is doing the job on the inside. I'm going to use DE more on the outside too.

 

[ColoradoMike]

Quote:
Dirt with a few shovels full of sand and gravel added each time I rake it out. It started as grass, and is slowly transitioning to sand/gravel - but it's mostly dirt right now.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Oh geez, I just throw it everywhere LOL... My coop is always nice and dry and stink-free

 

[Shannon's Chix]

I tried everything before I finally broke down and bought some DE...had to get it online because no one carries it around here. The flies were getting really bad.

I whitewashed and sprinkled the de and raked it into my sand in the coop and run and the result was truly amazing to me...works really well just like most people on here will say!

I used probably 1-2 cups in my 8x4 coop and about the same amount in my run.

 

[chickendude]

Well I just spread 1 maybe 1 1/2 cups of DE in with the pine shavings. It seems like it would be about the correct amount. Now as for the run mine is 10'x20' and all dirt like yours colaradoMike. We have had tons of rain here in the north east and so far it isn't too muddy. But I like your idea of adding sand a little at a time after each raking. Has any one ever thought of using mulch in their run? Not the cedar kind as I have heard it isn't good for chickens to breath in all the time but rather hard wood mulch.

 

[ColoradoMike]

I've seen several threads about mulch in the runs - some seem to love it, others not so much. As with most things, there's a wide variety of opinions on the subject. The conclusion I've drawn about run management is, the more organic matter you add to the run (bark/mulch/straw/shavings) the more likely you are to have an odor problem once things get wet. There is also the potential for mold growing in the organic material which could pose a health risk for the birds.

I'm sticking with adding a bit of sand and gravel and a sprinkling of DE after I rake things out every ~2 weeks or so. So far so good.

 

[chickendude]

Quote:
Colarado That sounds like some very sound advice. The whole thought process I'm having is to try to make it look a little neater in the run. But they are chickens and chickens tend to be dirty birds. There might not be a whole lot we can do without a trade off in the birds health.

 

[cmom]

I don't measure the DE. I have a shaker bottle for it. I just sprinkle it lightly in my litter. I don't think you really need much. I have no pest problems and no flies.