Help-- !! Urgent!!! Diatomaceous Earth Dust issues....

[goldnchocolate]

Are these your first chicks? I have chicks in my kitchen right now and the dust is on everything

(I'm not using DE in the bedding). I remember the same thing from the first time I had chicks. I figure that my kitchen is going to get a major spring cleaning

once the chicks go out to the coop.

 

[McGoo]

Momma Cluck, I don't think you should worry, but I would suggest that whether or not you use DE, having the brooder in the house or wherever creates a lot of dust. So, it's probably best to keep the brooder in a basement or a barn if possible. I did have mine in a bathroom, used no DE, just pine shavings, and boy was there dust! they scratch and stir it up all the time - pine shavings and dried poop!

Too much dust isn't good for any of us. I have heard/read that even when sprinkling DE, be careful not to inhale too much.

DE is a naturally forming mineral/substance, so I don't know about hazzardous. Though I'd not be surprised if the tiny particles could cause irritation to our lungs.

REmove the brooder from her room, Open the windows and air it out, dust well, stop using DE until they are living outside, and when using, do it sparingly and with a mask on ...or carefully upwind from the sprinkling.

All the best.

 

[speckledhen]

I wouldn't be worried about the dust from DE, per se. The chicks make plenty of their own, believe me! You just dont need any DE when they're in the house. And it does sound like you may have put alot in there.

 

[Momma_Cluck]

Thanks all!

Well- they are in a big Washing-machine box in her room--

We'd never even considered raising Chickens until My S.I.L gave a dozen Banties to my daughter for her Birthday in mid-May... then we got addicted!
Have another dozen on-order for August!

They had promised to come back and help build a coop-- but keep begging-off.... so we have the plans for it, and are just waiting till Friday (Payday) to get the materials.... Doing an 8x8 divided for boys & girls with separate runs...Didn't realize how pricey it can get!

There wasn't much dust befor the DE-- we have an air cleaner in the room...

I used 1/2 cup of the DE under the pine shavings-- put the chicks back in...then the dust went flying EVERYWHERE!
2 days later I removed everything from the box- washed everything down, vaccumed it out, washed linens/blankets etc... then put plain-old shavings back in--no more dust!

And since I change the litter 4-5x a week, I'm sure it's ok for another few days....
I just don't know how the spoild lil' babies will do away from everyone!!!

 

[ravenfeathers]

only pool grade DE should be a respiratory hazard. don't breathe that junk, you'll get miner's lung. food grade DE is fine and shouldn't cause any problems in your family's health.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Chicks wouldn't need DE until after being put in the henhouse and only then to control bugs.....and chicks in the house recreate alot of poultry dust on their own....

 

[pipermark]

Any type of dust, let me repeat that, anytype of dust is hazzardous to your lungs. I work for a company that makes powdered nutritional products, making sure our people do not breath in the dust is one of the most expensive equipment systems we have. We also still have them wear masks, just in case the system fails.

If you were working with insect control grade DE ,this would even be more critical, your lungs could actually be scratched.

Food Grade DE , as will any dust, clogs the lungs. Your lungs do not have an efficent way to clean themselves.

Which is why when you mow your lawn or do anytype of work that casues particles of anything to get into the air , painting etc, you should wear a mask.

Ok the old man will shut up now.

 

[d.k]

*I never even thought about a mask when I mow!!!!! Good idea.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Do a Google or Yahoo search using the words >
INERT DUSTS and click on the PDF from oznet.ksu.edu ...
(for some reason the link never works when I try to post it) ... this resource from Kansas State University has everything you ever wanted to know about about inert dusts (food grade) including DE.

 

[peruvian_princess]

Quote:
Well said. I was wondering if anyone would say it.