How much DE will I need for an 8'x 8' coop?

[shober]

How much will I need to start? We are finishing up the last minute details and I have no idea?

And building the coop in such heat makes my boyfriend so grouchy!!

 

[kcfuerst]

I buy it by the 50# bag. My run is 8x40. I use two bags a year. After cleaning the run, I use a big old 2 qt yogurt container to dip in a cat litter bucket full of DE and put down a generous layer over the entire run, more where the girls dust bathe. The girls will mix it up.

 

[Judy]

None, in my opinion. Better to pick up some poultry dust for mites and just wood shavings for litter. You might want to read this thread, particularly post #16, which says it all.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=478958&p=1

 

[shober]

thanks so much!

I was thinking maybe 5 lbs would be enough!

I guess they need a more liberal sprinkling!!

 

[silkiechicken]

I agree, you don't really need DE unless you are wanting to use it like stall dry or a desiccating agent.

That said, maybe your BF was handled roughly during shipping. Mine arrived sideways with minor package damage to help build my coop and didn't complain too much.

 

[shober]

Now I'm confused!!

I thought it was needed absolutely. I am putting my coop where there have never been any animals. Its up in a cinderblock planter next to my pool. If I don't have to go to the expense of it I would rather not! Thanks for all the advice!! Everyone here is so wonderful! I've never used it before, but lived in a much more rural area then. Now I'm in the city 7 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

That photo from silkiechicken is too funny!!

I might need the box to ship the BF out!!

 

[Judy]

Really, really, you don't. Stall Dri and some similar products have DE in them and also dry up the litter. Or you can simply add pine shavings (or whatever) to help control poop and odor as needed, and / or change as needed. Agricultural lime, pelletized is much easier to handle, lots cheaper, and also helps control odor, moisture and flies, better than DE does in my opinion, and I have used both.

I have a big bag of DE in my shed I originally bought for worm control in the garden, but used little when I discovered how irritating it is in the lungs, as it "clouds up" everywhere. I use it once in a while but will probably never use it all.