is 7 dust dangerous?

[cw]

depends are you gonna bake a cake with it?
then yes if you are gonna throw a handful where your chickens dust probably not, i ve dusted there entire coop with it and no ill effects, but gave it a week before eaten there eggs,


soda pop causes diabetes if not drank in moderation, anything can be dangorous when used wrong, or out side of the label

 

[Cindy in PA]

Sevin was blamed a decade or so ago for declining bluebird & swallow populations. If I remember correctly it thinned the egg shells sort of like DDT in the 60s. I can't stand the stuff, but obviously you guys that use it don't have a problem!

 

[cgmccary]

SEVIN DUST: I agree with Cindy in PA, I can't stand Sevin Dust. It is poison, and I certainly would not use it if I did not have a mite problem. That being said, most fowl mites are resistant to Sevin dust anyway and so it is not very effective. I used it in the past when I didn't know as much about it. As Cindy indicated, Sevin dust has been linked to declining bird populations, and it is lethal to honeybees & other beneficial insects. If it has some effective on "wild birds," then might it have have some ill effect on chickens. I had a hen to die of cancer (per State lab analysis) and she was one I used Sevin dust on before I knew better.

DE is no more effective as ash from your grill (good for the dust hole as well), quartz sand or any good dirt. If chickens are able to take dust baths & you limit their exposure to wild birds as much as possible & you are careful about additions to your flock, these measures is the best control against mites. DE is hype, and I really hate to see people waste their money on it. I was using DE everywhere and during its use (couple of years religiously), is the only time my chickens ever got mites. I also tried dusting down the birds solely with DE, and it did not kill the mites. I do not see any benefit to using DE.

I have used the non-toxic "Poultry Protector" for about a year now and while I am not vouching for it, I have NOT had any mites, lice nor scaly leg mite since using it.

 

[DonnaBelle]

www.carefreeenzymes.com has information on Poultry Protector, but you have to purchase it from a retailer like Murray McMurray Hatcheries or the like.

DonnaBelle

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Just because somebody or some group "blamed" it a decade ago means absolutely nothing. I've used in lots of bb and swallow nests that were filled with mites; there were no ill results.

 

[barngem]

Quote:
I have to agree. I was raised in the country and the old farmers know their stuff when it comes to some things, but they often have no qualms about using chemicals.

We have had the opportunity to be educated about chemicals. Its kinda a old school thinking that a chemical will do better than something natural like DE. We are now able to study things and see the what the result over long term. In the old way of thinking if it didnt kill you right away it probably didnt harm you. Which we now know is wrong.
No sence using 7 when Food grade DE will do the job without any harm. I personally wouldnt even want to handle the 7 myself little lone put in on my poor chickens.

The wide use of chemicals rather than the Natural counterpart is a very American way. I live in a town with a lake and there is water within 2 miles any direction you leave my yard. I work in a hardware store and you would not believe the number of people that come in to buy chemicals for this or that. To kill bugs, to fertilize their lawn, to kill fungus on trees, to kill mice and moles and what ever other critter comes into their fancy yards. It just kills me. OOOPPPPs i am ranting and I am hijacking the post sorry.
We need to try the natural less invasive way of doing things if it works great, if it does not, then step it up a notch by useing something else. But most often with a little research you will find that things can be done easily cheaply and efficiently the natural way.
JUST SAY NO TO 7

 

[NotTheMomma]

I've seen no evidence that food grade DE does the 'job' well, and with no harm. I keep seeing it spouted, but with nothing of evidence. Just because someone says or posts that DE does this and that, does not make it the truth.

DE has had no affect on the mites, lice, or worms in my own flock. No affect on the fleas, ticks, worms in my cats/dogs.

It's a lot of hype, and a huge price. Please don't believe everything that you see written. Try for yourself if you must. Look up studies, and see who is backing them financially. Hint: if a company that sells DE is backing the study, be very, very cautious! If the financial backer has any way of profiting from the study, proceed with caution.

 

[daryl]

http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-flypage-15392#longdesc

 

[junebug7334]

i use DE but am not sold on any one thing

 

[scogind]

You can dust your vegetable garden with 5% Sevin dust and harvest the next day. Personally I go with the 10% Sevin in my chicken pen and vegetable garden in the early spring before there's anything to harvest. The chickens are not going to eat the stuff. For fly problems I sprinkle wood ashes all around the pen... lime works too.