Flea DE Experiment

[suki'smom]

Ok I want to see how well DE really works so I set up this little experiment. I took 4 small containers, some DE, and 4 fleas (provided by my dog) to use in the experiment. I place one flea in a container without DE for the control. I then place a flea in each remaining container with differing amounts of DE in them. One had one small pinch of DE, one had two small pinches of DE, and one had three small pinches of DE. Within moments the fleas began to slow down their activity, let's see what it takes to kill these little devils.

 

[Orangina]

Awesome, can't wait to hear the final results. I love DE, it's amazing stuff and the feed store where I live can barely keep it in stock.

A little OT, but I think it's pretty cool you have foxes AND chickens.

 

[suki'smom]

Well after about an hour and a half they all died, except for the one in the control container. Hmmm I wonder if I should add less and less and see which amount will not kill them?

Awesome, can't wait to hear the final results. I love DE, it's amazing stuff and the feed store where I live can barely keep it in stock.

A little OT, but I think it's pretty cool you have foxes AND chickens. ?

I like it quite a lot too but after hearing some negating things about it I thought I would set up an experiment and share it with others.

As for my foxes, they work out with my chickens very well actually. The smell of the pairs keeps most wild predators out of the yard, except for the biggest ones of course. My chickens don't mind them either, even though the foxes are housed about 60 feet from them. My foxes are domestic foxes not wild caught so while they do have the "kill" instinct they lack the "eat it too" part of it LOL Suki (my oldest) once got out, my fault, and killed 43 5 week old chickens (I may regret posting this on this board

) but even though she was loose for a week and extremely hungry she didn't eat a single one. I, of course, replaced the chickens and the man I and I are now good friends. He calls me up every time he see a fox in his yard to be sure its not one of mine before he dispatches it (much appreciated) My young kit Lady got out on me this year and didn't touch the chickens. I actually have to teach them that raw meat is food, they prefer it cooked (spoiled brats).

Anyway, I think I may expand my DE experiment to include other insects as well to see how well this stuff really works and what it works on.​

 

[silkiechicken]

I would put three fleas in each container and add some more controls.


No pesticide. -negative control
Various dustings of de (figure how much you think actually reaches fleas under fur/feathers, a pinch is probably a whole lot more concenrated than ends up on fur/feathers.) -experiment
Pesticide used for killing fleas. -positive control
Flour, corn starch etc (inert powders) -negative control (to see if any powder kills)

 

[nurse_turtle]

How 'bout roaches? Nothing kills roaches....

 

[zookeeper15133]

It works on stink bugs too! Last winter I had a bucket with about 1/2" of DE in the bottom. Whenever I saw a stink bug, I grabbed it and tossed it in. It kills them without stinking or flushing the toilet an extra dozen times a day!

 

[suki'smom]

Hmm those are some great ideas...I can even do the roaches as I raise Blatta Lateralis. I shall go bug collecting tomorrow!

 

[cottagechick]

What other bugs bother chickens...Scratching head...why don't they just eat them?

anyway, what about lice? And flies? Once I had a jar of dog vitamins - someone left the lid off and I found a bunch of dead bees in it...not sure if it was the vitamin or if they couldn't get out of the jar...???

 

[Orangina]

That's fascinating about your foxes, suki'smom. I know nothing about domestic foxes...hmm, in fact, I know very little about wild ones either, but I love all animals so it's cool to hear people's experiences with them.

Am I allowed to ask what you raise Blatta Lateralis for? Is it for the other creatures you keep company with?

My boyfriend has started a mealworm beetle "farm" as I was spending a fortune on meal worms for my younger chickens. He also started a red worm bin (which he has hidden from me because that is for composting purposes *only* and not for me and my birds, but I found it so neener neener) and most recently a scorpion farm. The latter totally freaks me out, but oh how the chickens love to get themselves some scorpion. I'm sure the centipede farm is next...*shiver*

Ew, I totally sound like a total freak. Or at least my bf does.

 

[dawg53]

suki'smom :

Hmm those are some great ideas...I can even do the roaches as I raise Blatta Lateralis. I shall go bug collecting tomorrow!

Add a couple of earthworms to your experiment and let us know the results please.​