So....Diatomaceous Earth is good or bad?

[MissChick@dee]

I use Food Grade DE. I don’t know how much you put in your coop. I use a empty soap bottle (like dawn) and puff a mist or cloud in the coop (no chickens inside). I sprinkled on the floor under the fresh bedding. I have to be careful not to inhale it.
I also mix it once a month into their feed as a maintenance.
Where I KNOW DE works is with ants. Marvelous for ridding the run of them.
I have never had to treat my hens for mites. Anything with a exoskeleton dies when it consumes DE. You do need to check the label for Silica content mine is 84% It cannot be 100% due to clumping.
Sorry for your problems. I hope your chicken recovers.
I wonder about the blood you mentioned though.

 

[Cayuga momma]

DE Study
Here is a study I read yesterday. Maybe you will find it useful.

 

[MissChick@dee]

DE Study
Here is a study I read yesterday. Maybe you will find it useful.

I don’t see a study...it just goes to another thread

 

[Cayuga momma]

DE Study
Here is a study I read yesterday. Maybe you will find it useful.

Sorry the study link was in the other thread. Its really hard to link stuff from my phone.

Here it is:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21673156/

 

[MissChick@dee]

Poultry dust is .25 permethrin and 99.75 other ingredients. Interesting just had to look that one up. Got my curiosity going.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Sorry the study link was in the other thread. Its really hard to link stuff from my phone.

Here it is:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21673156/

Thanks

 

[Fishkeeper]

"food grade" just means "not toxic if you eat it". It doesn't mean "not dangerous if inhaled".
Birds have delicate lungs. DE is sharp and cuts when inhaled. It kills invertebrates by clogging their breathing holes and scratching up the delicate insides. It is very bad for the lungs of all living things, regardless of its grade, and should not be used around birds because of that. Just use regular dust, it suffocates mites about as well and isn't sharp. If they have a dustbath they'll self-dust. If there are actual mite issues, use an actual mite treatment, not DE.

 

[MissChick@dee]

AWSOME!!! Thanks so much
Cayuga Momma. That was a great read

 

[Cayuga momma]

Here is the abstract study screenshot:

 

[MissChick@dee]

Nope....dehydrates them and only if they have a exoskeleton. While TRUE you need to keep the birds out of your using it AND you yourself (birds too) should NOT inhale it. Hence use a small amount (no layer of it laying around). It does not suffocate invertebrates.
There are fans of DE and some who wouldn’t use it.
You need to use it properly and do some research prior.
I happen to like that it does not have added chemicals.
To each his own. I respect your opinions and advise.
Best wishes