opinions on diatomaceous earth?

[hannahchicken]

I have baby chicks right now that are far too young to give diatomaceous earth to but I was wondering what everyones opinions are.
i am very nervous about the parasites they can get once they are outside.
thanks!

 

[4xcharmd]

I love it. I've been using it way before I had chickens! I sprinkle it in the attic and basement to kill bugs, colon cleans with it by drinking a heaping spoon full in a glass of water every day for a week (every couple months) and I dust bathe my chickens in it to prevent mites.
It really is wonderful stuff!
Just make sure you give them lots of water if feeding it to them. It can be constipating!

 

[casportpony]

ROFLMAO!

-Kathy

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

My opinion is that it is the "band wagon" item du' jour - and it's not a band wagon I am willing to drink the kool aid and hop on. It does not offer nearly all the benefits it is claimed to and it's efficacy has not been proven for many of the claimed benefits via any sort of scientifically tested information.

 

[4xcharmd]

I do agree with it being a bandwagon type thing... To an extent.
The only thing I've experienced with it was it made my skin amazing, clear and glowing. Nothing else to report.
It does kill bugs amazingly well, but it needs to stay dry.
I do not believe it helps with internal parasites. Once it gets wet, it looses all its cutting up power.. In the digestive system I acts as more of a clay to draw out toxins, not cut up bugs. In my opinion, its more like activated charcoal.
I've seen all kinds of ridiculous claims made, but I've only experienced the amazing skin and millions of dead bugs in the attic and basement.
Its dangerous to breathe in too, but doesn't seem to hurt my chickens when I dust them with it. I apply it close so it doesn't get airborne until they shake it off.

 

[casportpony]

DE had zero effect on poultry lice when I used it on my hens. I put it in all of their bathing spots and covered them in it, and they all still had lice. IMNSHO, it's a waste of money.

-Kathy

 

[TheRambler]

DE works great but its not a miracle. Your not going to get rid of a lice or mite problem with it unless you also stop the source of them. DE does a great job of killing insects, and I use it frequently with great results. I use it in my garden, on ny chickens, and dog, nest boxes, and mixed with the sand on the coop floor. I have zero issues with insects of any sort in my chicken coop or on my birds or dog.

I think people dust an area or a bird, and then keep seeing pests and so they say it doesnt work. Well if they are still coming in from somewhere they arnt going to go away by just using a magic dust.

IMO if you have a sand coop your chances are good of DE controling pests. If your using deep litter or straw or shavings etc your chances are much slimmer. Especially so with deep litter. Other methods will be required for sure.
The deep litter, shavings, and straw all provide tons of nooks and crannies for them to hide, lay eggs etc. getting enough DE mixed in in those circumstances in nearing on the edge of impossible.

 

[casportpony]

DE works great but its not a miracle. Your not going to get rid of a lice or mite problem with it unless you also stop the source of them. DE does a great job of killing insects, and I use it frequently with great results. I use it in my garden, on ny chickens, and dog, nest boxes, and mixed with the sand on the coop floor. I have zero issues with insects of any sort in my chicken coop or on my birds or dog.

I think people dust an area or a bird, and then keep seeing pests and so they say it doesnt work. Well if they are still coming in from somewhere they arnt going to go away by just using a magic dust.

IMO if you have a sand coop your chances are good of DE controling pests. If your using deep litter or straw or shavings etc your chances are much slimmer. Especially so with deep litter. Other methods will be required for sure.
The deep litter, shavings, and straw all provide tons of nooks and crannies for them to hide, lay eggs etc. getting enough DE mixed in in those circumstances in nearing on the edge of impossible.

My "coop" had wire sides, a dirt floor with DE all over it and one wooden perch. All birds were dusted and the next three days still had lice. So I bought some poultry dust, dusted them again and voila, no more bugs, not one!

-Kathy

 

[4xcharmd]

My sister in law had a bird nest in a wreath that she had on her guest bedroom window and the bedroom became infested with bird mites. They used DE and a steam mop.. And not only completely eradicated the problem, but also saved the carpet and most of the furniture. I think the bed and pillows were replaced because they were old anyway... But it could have spread to the whole house and got real ugly!
There are so many variables that come into play with DE being effective or ineffective. Number one, keeping it dry is the main thing.

 

[TheRambler]

My "coop" had wire sides, a dirt floor with DE all over it and one wooden perch. All birds were dusted and the next three days still had lice. So I bought some poultry dust, dusted them again and voila, no more bugs, not one!

-Kathy

Permetherin is much more potent than DE, so i dont doubt it resolved your problem rapidly. DE takes some time to work, and unless your mixing or tilling in an exorbitant amount of it into your dirt floor then your not touching the source really. DE works better as a preventative and as a spot treatment than as a way to stop an infestation.

Permetherin works totally differently than DE, and so dusting an area with it has a major impact. Its also a very harsh chemical. I strive not to use chemicals unless absolutely necessary.