Is it okay to sprinkle DE in nesting boxes where hen is sitting on eggs?

[anniemarie01]

I recently noticed mites in my chicken coop and bought DE to sprinkle in the coop. When our hen gets off the eggs we can see the eggs are covered in mites (probably 20 on each egg) but they seem to mostly be dead after spraying my chickens (I don’t remember the name of the spray but it specifically kills mites). However, I notice that the few mites that are alive on the eggs keep jumping back into the nesting boxes, so is it okay to sprinkle food grade DE into the nest boxes (including where shes sitting on eggs), or will this possibly hurt the chicks when they hatch? I don’t want there to be mites when they hatch because I can’t imagine it’ll take long for the mites to kill tiny chicks from anemia.

 

[pozees2]

Did you re-treat the birds 7-10 days after the first treatment? That is what is needed to break the reproductive cycle of mites. For some particular stubborn infestations it may require 3 treatments. I am not a believer in DE. Permethrin or ivermectin are what I've had success with when it comes to mites.

 

[anniemarie01]

Did you re-treat the birds 7-10 days after the first treatment? That is what is needed to break the reproductive cycle of mites. For some particular stubborn infestations it may require 3 treatments. I am not a believer in DE. Permethrin or ivermectin are what I've had success with when it comes to mites.

I just noticed then maybe 3 days ago and got the spray 2 days ago so I haven’t resprayed them yet. Does DE not work or is it because the respiratory problems? we have the coop well ventilated and I just powered washed everything out so it will stick to the floor and hopefully not produce too much dust.

 

[pozees2]

Oh okay so not due for second treatment yet. I don't think DE works and I do worry about birds inhaling it, and I don't especially want to inhale it either.

 

[anniemarie01]

Oh okay so not due for second treatment yet. I don't think DE works and I do worry about birds inhaling it, and I don't especially want to inhale it either.

Okay thanks! I’ll see if I need something else after 10 days and I’ll look into the other ones but do you usually combine the two or does one work better?

 

[Abigrayl]

Did you re-treat the birds 7-10 days after the first treatment? That is what is needed to break the reproductive cycle of mites. For some particular stubborn infestations it may require 3 treatments. I am not a believer in DE. Permethrin or ivermectin are what I've had success with when it comes to mites.

Hi. Please tell me, How do I treat chickens with ivermectin?