I never use it to manage litter. It wouldn't do anything for me that adding shavings to the litter doesn't already do and dust in the air is a big problem for me.
I do use it to control external parasites on the chickens, but only as needed. As a preventative, I normally only put some in one of their dust baths these days. More importantly, I provided them with a dust bath to use that's covered and always dry. We get as much rain as some parts of the NW and with our heavy clay, it can make their dust baths out in the open unusable quite often.
When I had to treat an active case of mites one year, I did use more DE. I used it applied to the chickens, in the nest boxes, in the litter and in their dust baths. This took care of the problem and I didn't have to use a toxic pesticide on the chickens and the coop.
The year I had trouble, it was a broody that had mites. She wasn't dust bathing, so when she picked up mites, they flourished on her. I now take broodies to a dust bath each day, where there is also food and water. I also check them and the area they're nesting in, to make sure they don't have a mite problem. I like a little DE as a preventative there, too.
Sometimes roosters don't dust bathe like they should, either. Plus, pullets have to learn to dust bathe to actively control mites and mine have been smarter about it as experienced adults. It doesn't hurt to check them occasionally. I've never dusted them without an active case of mites, though.
I do use it to control external parasites on the chickens, but only as needed. As a preventative, I normally only put some in one of their dust baths these days. More importantly, I provided them with a dust bath to use that's covered and always dry. We get as much rain as some parts of the NW and with our heavy clay, it can make their dust baths out in the open unusable quite often.
When I had to treat an active case of mites one year, I did use more DE. I used it applied to the chickens, in the nest boxes, in the litter and in their dust baths. This took care of the problem and I didn't have to use a toxic pesticide on the chickens and the coop.
The year I had trouble, it was a broody that had mites. She wasn't dust bathing, so when she picked up mites, they flourished on her. I now take broodies to a dust bath each day, where there is also food and water. I also check them and the area they're nesting in, to make sure they don't have a mite problem. I like a little DE as a preventative there, too.
Sometimes roosters don't dust bathe like they should, either. Plus, pullets have to learn to dust bathe to actively control mites and mine have been smarter about it as experienced adults. It doesn't hurt to check them occasionally. I've never dusted them without an active case of mites, though.
