white mites and flies

[I'm1chickencuddler]

Okay....so we put our flock out in their coop/yard on Monday for the first time. We integrated our 3 sets of chicks and now we have massive amounts of flies and my daughter informed me Chicky Luna(one of our girls) has little white bugs all over her. When reading through pages and pages of this forum...there doesn't really seem to be a hard core, chemical free solution that won't harm my girls or the environment. HELP!!!!

 

[tiffanyg2]

I know people use DE Food grade to kill off mites and other pests and it is safe to use on chickens as long as it is "food grade" google it and read up on it. I plan on buying a big bag of it online! You can spreadit in the chicken coop using a moderate amount and also sprinkle some in the areas your birds tend to dust bath.

 

[I'm1chickencuddler]

Thank you for the DE suggestion. Will this work for both the mites and flies? AND...where can I get it reasonable? The places I checked online was @25 a bag for 50 lbs. but would cost 35 to have it shipped.....way too expensive.....any local place to buy? Garden or feed store maybe?

 

[tiffanyg2]

Well somebody on here had put out a link it was a place in GA that sold a 50lb bag and I think it was going to cost me about$50.00 which included shipping. I have since forgot the name of the place~ haha If you want I can post a thread asking people where they buy the DE from and what it costs and attach links if they have them. I'll do that and see who has the best prices look for it under this Index! What are the flies you are reffering to~ are they the normal outside flies?

 

[I'm1chickencuddler]

Thank you again!!! I just came back from the feed store. They had the same food grade brand that I found online for 24-27 bucks but it was @ 40. The shipping was going to be 35 so I came out ahead! I have sprinkled my chickens and put it in the coop. I have also put it on the ground where they do dirt bathing. Again...Thank you! As for the flies....they left immediately....very cool!!! Simple earth friendly, chicken friendly fix.