Yesterday I cleaned out the coop. Not a full clean, but I changed out the shavings in the nest and I scraped off any poo on the tops of the nest boxes (they are slanted but my little buggers are agile!).
I noticed a lot of mosquitos in the boxes. It was very dry here all summer and in the last two months we've had pretty good rain, so here come the 'squitos! So, while I was wiping down the nest boxes I soaked a rag in Skin So Soft and I wiped that over the top of the boxes and around the inside walls of the boxes. I then dusted the boxes with DE and took a brush and removed the excess. I also used DE on the droppings under the roost (my coop is set up so the droppings fall to the ground and the chickens can't get into them.)
Today I went out to gather eggs and not only are there less mosquitos and flies, but it leaves a nice scent in the coop. The hens didn't seem to mind it...all eggs in boxes.
So was it the SSS or the DE?
I noticed a lot of mosquitos in the boxes. It was very dry here all summer and in the last two months we've had pretty good rain, so here come the 'squitos! So, while I was wiping down the nest boxes I soaked a rag in Skin So Soft and I wiped that over the top of the boxes and around the inside walls of the boxes. I then dusted the boxes with DE and took a brush and removed the excess. I also used DE on the droppings under the roost (my coop is set up so the droppings fall to the ground and the chickens can't get into them.)
Today I went out to gather eggs and not only are there less mosquitos and flies, but it leaves a nice scent in the coop. The hens didn't seem to mind it...all eggs in boxes.
So was it the SSS or the DE?