Too soon to use DE?

[joebryant]

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I agree with you about adding it to their food. I never have and never will. I use it to dry poop on their wood chip bedding and in their poop boxes, to help kill mice/lice in their dusting boxes, and on the sand in their run. Using it that way, I never have a smell in my coop or run.

 

[NottinghamChicks]

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On that note, you should consider yourself lucky. I`ve come to believe that DE is a waste of time and money, and that after reading countless complaints about parrasite infestations while using it. I know it has it`s fans. Some say it clears up infestations, some say it merely prevents them. I say, aftermore than half a century raising chickens and other fowl, it`s all nonsense. I have never used DE and my birds have always been free from parasites except for a few occasions when Sevin dust cleared up the external problems and a couple rare occasions when cayenne pepper cured the worm situation. My point is, if you`re gonna get them, you`re gonna get them. Then take the appropriate measures to cure the situation. Don`t waste your money giving them something that is unproven and many reports say doesn`t work at all. There, now all you DE fans can blast me. Just do us all a favor and prove me wrong..........Pop

I have never used DE either but have Seven on hand just in case. What is the Cayenne Pepper remedy all about? I like going the natural route and would like to hear any other remedies for common pests and problems from anyone. Thanks!

 

[ChickieBerryFarm]

I use DE and have been really pleased with it. I don't add it to their food, but I do put it in a cheese-type sprinkler jar and sprinkle it in their coop, throughout their shavings. I used to have a real problem with ants, of course...the chickens weren't interested in eating them, but the DE solved that problem. I also use it in my garden and around the house...on the dog for fleas...been very pleased with it. The main thing is to purchase food-grade...and organic, if possible. I don't ever want to be without that stuff!!!

 

[Judy]

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I agree with you about adding it to their food. I never have and never will. I use it to dry poop on their wood chip bedding and in their poop boxes, to help kill mice/lice in their dusting boxes, and on the sand in their run. Using it that way, I never have a smell in my coop or run.

Then we agree. But I would not only not blast Pop, I won't say he's wrong. (Not that you did, of course, just to clarify.) Those of us who use it know it dries and deodorizes, but it's basically unproven stuff otherwise. We'll never see real studies, I believe, because the commercial industry doesn't care. It's fine to say I use it and have never seen mites/lice, which is true -- but of course proves nothing.

Mine free range, but if I had dust boxes and a run, I'd be using it there, too.

 

[HorizonSon]

Ummm; unless I missing something somewhere, DE is natural and "organic".

 

[Judy]

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I'd say so. It's skeletons of diatoms, tiny organisms. I don't understand your point.

 

[caspernc]

I would like to hear more about the cayenne pepper thing. I have used cayenne in the wild bird food to keep the squirels away. Cayenne will also repell ants when sprinked across their path. But does it help with worms? Could you sprinkle on thier food daily for general worming or do you dose them with a certain amount? It would keep ants out of the food if thats a problem. And so as to not steal this tread.....DE does work in the coop and if they get a little it won't hurt them. But I'm not taking it myself.

 

[ladybug99]

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On that note, you should consider yourself lucky. I`ve come to believe that DE is a waste of time and money, and that after reading countless complaints about parrasite infestations while using it. I know it has it`s fans. Some say it clears up infestations, some say it merely prevents them. I say, aftermore than half a century raising chickens and other fowl, it`s all nonsense. I have never used DE and my birds have always been free from parasites except for a few occasions when Sevin dust cleared up the external problems and a couple rare occasions when cayenne pepper cured the worm situation. My point is, if you`re gonna get them, you`re gonna get them. Then take the appropriate measures to cure the situation. Don`t waste your money giving them something that is unproven and many reports say doesn`t work at all. There, now all you DE fans can blast me. Just do us all a favor and prove me wrong..........Pop

I don't feed my girls the DE.. I use it in thier nesting boxes and on the floor of the coop.. we all live in different areas of the world and each have our own opinion on what works. I my self have never had any types of worms or mites with my girls... I am also told that DE also dries out the coop and the poop... and I have no odor or moisture problems... so in my eyes the DE is doing its job. Around here it is like $4.00 per 10 pound bag... I have only used 1/4 of the bag in 6 months... Why would any one blast you ... you are only being honest.. it will only help the OP to make an informed decision

 

[Lollipop]

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Cayenne Pepper;

It`s a natural wormer. Mix it heavily with your feed to turn it rusty looking. Pepper in the front, worms run out the back. Chickens don`t have the heat receptors like most critters, so they eat it up. Worms, on the other hand, heh, heh. You can still eat the eggs. Repeat in 10 days to get the new worms.Try it, if ya don`t believe it.........Pop

 

[Lollipop]

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Joe, you are truly a fan of DE. I just don`t ever see any proof that it works internally. I guess some folks have success externally, but do they really? In the 52 years I`ve had chickens, I`ve had maybe 3 louse problems and never used the stuff. I know that different parts of the country(world?) have different problems, so I`ll concede that. Guess with my limited experience with internal and external parasites, I`ll just wish you all well. I still see no proof that it does anything but cost money. Oh yeah, being in the south, my pens are mostly open air and I don`t have problems with smells, either. Maybe I`m the lucky one........Pop