to our new members. DE doesn't work. I have tried a lot of different things. I use permethrin. It works. If you have a TSC they carry the permethrin powder, premixed spray bottles and the concentrate. No egg withdrawal period.
!!! DE and alcohol kinda worked but they always come back. Heading to TS today and will stock up! ♡
The bugs in my coop that are black like that hang out in my nesting boxes. I believe they are part of the meal work transformation. Either the bug turns into the work or the worm into the bug. Not sure which but usually once I start seeing the bugs I start seeing the worms. Nature kinda takes its course and I will have 20-30 of them under each box in no time. The chickens love it when it’s box cleaning time. I could not tell the size from you pic. The black bug I’m referencing is about a half inch in length and a .25 inch in width.this is a picture of the tiny tiny bug! Anybody knows what that is? Thanks
Do you know why these mites are present? What is “off” or need “balancing” to prevent their return?Hi Pipling...welcome to BYC! No such thing as a moronic question...except those you don't ask!
There isn't (to my knowledge) a specific brand name for DE. Check with your feed store...ask for food grade DE and they should know exactly what you mean. It's not terribly expensive and a little goes a long way.
Clean out the whole coop, then when you put the bedding back in, sprinkle some DE on it and sort of stir it up enough that it's not all sitting right on top...the chooks will take care of the "real" stirring as they scratch. Also put some DE in their dust bath and mix it just a little bit.
DE is perfectly harmless on the skin or even eaten...the only danger is inhaling it. So, make sure you wear a mask when working with it and take care that the chickens aren't downwind where they can breathe it in.
I found mites on mine as well, and did just this. You can actually dust the chickens, but I found that just having it where they get it on them was sufficient.
HTH
Mickey
