Is It Safe To Use Ge On 8 Week Old Chicks?

[branston]

I have 9, 8 week old chicks in a segregated part of the coop and run, and a problem with mites/lice. Yesterday, I completely cleaned out the coop of all bedding and thoroughly dusted with GE and put in fresh bedding. This morning, on handling a bird, I still see the suckers crawling up my arm! Today I plan on dust bathing all my big birds......can I do this with the 8 week old chicks too? And can I re-dust in the coop, without having to change all the fresh bedding I put in yesterday?
Many thanks

 

[CapricornFarm]

I assume you mean DE. Yes, you can use more of it. It works by scraping the exterior armour of the bugs so they dehydrate. It takes a while. I add garden/ poultry dust to the dust bath for the adults. Good luck

 

[branston]

Yep......I meant DE.....newbie freaking out over these bugs! Can I use it on the babies too?

 

[branston]

I used the DE on the chicks and all is well with them.....a lot happier!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

DE is more of a preventative and won't do anything to stop an active infestation. Best thing would be to get some permethrin spray. I use it on young chicks, the age of yours or a bit younger to prevent mites/lice.

 

[branston]

Thanks for that, will go get some today,
I have 6 Silkies, 2 white, 2 brown and 2 grey. I rooster and 5 hens. I love them to bits! I changed their food from the medicated chick crumbles to laying mash crumbles (I have one hen laying every day) but they really don't seem to like it or eat much of it, infact, I have never seen any of them eating it. I throw in fresh greens twice a day plus any tomatoes from the garden and I pick grass for them once a day. I also throw in some scratch grain late afternoon. My other hens don't seem to care for the laying mash crumbles either, however, they free range. Is there something else that Silkies prefer?
Many thanks

 

[speckledhen]

DE will kill lice and mites. I knocked out a bad infestation on a rooster who came to me covered in them. What I don't think I'd do is use it on a large number of chicks since it doesn't kill instantly and you need them gone ASAP because they can be debilitating on young birds, especially. There is a lice/mite spray for parrots I've seen at most pet stores around here that you could use, or poultry dust which would knock them out without waiting for them to dessicate, as DE does. I always use DE, but I've done it since I had chickens and nothing has been able to get a foothold here. If I had a huge infestation, I'd go for the big guns right away, I believe.