WANT TO DUST FOR MITES...QUESTION

[AngelzFyre]

Hoping to ease the "air" a bit...answering your question about how I dust mine.
I do use DE and I do use Sevin on cats n dogs that I don't own but come up to eat because I don't want fleas/ticks OR mites on anything that I own.
I put each dust into an old tube sock that doesn't have a mate and tie the end shut. I can then hold the "victim" and dust gently while rubbing it over them and shaking the sock a bit. None seem to mind at all.

 

[AllChookUp]

Thanks, Randi - That seems like a great way to handle the dusting.

 

[arlee453]

we dust for mites with sevin 5%. I use an old spice container as a shaker.

It's a two man job...

For the chickens, we catch them one at a time and dust them under the wings and around the vent and massage the dust in under the feathers as well as we can. My favorite method is to grab the chicken and flip it over on it's back so the wings are outstretched.

For our peafowl, they are a bit too strong to man handle like that so I wait until it's dark, then sneak up on them while they are on the roost.

I grab them quickly, and then flip over and dust like the chickens, then back on the roost before they know what hit them.

And you will get Sevin all over yourself in the process. Using a shaker helps, but I can't stay 100% sevin clean. I always take a good shower immediately afterwards and put the clothes straight into the washer.

I've noticed no ill effects whatsoever on myself or the chickens. And we eat the eggs - I just wipe them off extra well for a week since I also dust the nest boxes and coop at the same time.

 

[fivebigreds]

Quote:
I hold them and get hands full of dust and get about 10 percent on them and the rest on me. I have thought about a large bag to put them in and and the dust ( keeping their heads out of cource ) and let them flap their wings and dust themselves. i have used DE and sevin. I belive sevin works faster.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I use DE in the evenings when they are on their roosts and dust with a large plastic shaker container, like something that would hold alot of salt or sugar ....just put extra holes in the plastic lid....

Also keep it in their dust bathing holes....

 

[cluckychick]

I use a sifter and sift DE in the coop and run leaving a thin layer of dust. It does make my hands tired though and the tube sock thing sounds interesting and I will probably give it a go next time. I used sevin in my garden twice this year and was less than pleased with the outcome of it and switched to a different chemical(can't remember the name atm) that worked wonders for us.

Any form of liquid/powder comes with a downfall from consumption in some way but you as the user take that into consideration whenever you choose to use it, no matter what it is. Might I recommend that you read the product info. and make your own conclusions.

 

[spatcher]

Quote:
Thankyou Cluckychick...my sentiments exactly!

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

Like Arlee, I dust the birds as needed (Sevin) and/or every spring, and always keep Sevin in the nest boxes so the layers routinely dust themselves. I haven't had an outbreak in years. Never threw away an egg either.

Edited to add: I have a quart mason jar that I've punched/drilled holes in the lid for dusting. Works beautifully.

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

Mrs. Lewis Rich, Would you mind posting the ingredient list on the Garden & Poultry dust TSC had? Thanks, Stephen

 

[kinardmommy]

Thank you Stephen in SoKY for the mason jar idea. I have been having trouble trying to find something that works well.