Yes or No on Diatomaceous Earth??

[justamomma]

I was in TSC early this morning grabbing some odds and ends for my chickens and saw some DE and remembered reading somewhere that it is good for everything and can be used in their feed, coop bedding, dust bath, etc. So i bought some.
I did a little more research and am getting mixed vibes on weather or not to use it and to what extent.
Should i keep it and use it at least for the smell? And if its okay then when and how often? My chicks are 4-7 weeks old.
Any thoughts/input, or experience will be much appreciated!
I also just barely read it is just 90% silica sand? I have sand in their coop but i thought silica was bad?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

It is very dusty. I use sand in the coop as well. I used to spread it all over the coop floor but it was soooo dusty and I was breathing it in (very bad).

I would say that it is good for mixing with sand, dirt, and cold woodstove ashes to make a dust bath for them (in a tub of some sort out of the rain). You can just mix it with some sand in a box in the coop for them to bathe in, to aid in the prevention of mite/lice infestations.

It doesn't work when wet (as a wormer) so I stopped putting it in the food. It didn't work for me spreading it all over the coops to keep away mites. I think they need to bathe in it for it to help.
If you ever get an actual infestation of mites/lice, I recommend using poultry chemical dust from the feedstore.

I don't buy it any more (I use woodstove ashes as a bath for them- also sand).

 

[justamomma]

Okay thank you very much! So I will just hold on to it then instead of returning it. At what age do they like to start dust bathing?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Okay thank you very much! So I will just hold on to it then instead of returning it. At what age do they like to start dust bathing?

I have seen days old chicks dust bathing. They do it instinctively and LOVE it.

 

[gmomfarms]

If you use DE, be sure to wear a mask. It can damage your lungs.

 

[Kernel Cluck]

I had been using DE for a while. It is excellent for killing little "pests" but it is sooooo dusty. I stopped using it. I use Sweet PDZ Stall refresher for the smell. It works great and is granule so its not hardly dusty at all.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I had been using DE for a while. It is excellent for killing little "pests" but it is sooooo dusty. I stopped using it. I use Sweet PDZ Stall refresher for the smell. It works great and is granule so its not hardly dusty at all.

x2 sweet pdz is great stuff - (I used to use it too before switching to just sand)- highly recommend it- much less dusty

 

[QuietPony]

x2 sweet pdz is great stuff - (I used to use it too before switching to just sand)- highly recommend it- much less dusty

x3! I'm a first timer here, and that sweet PDZ is a friggen miracle! I'm so glad I found out about that here! I have put it everywhere!! In the brooder (with pine shavings), the guinea pig cage (with pine shavings) and even right in the cat box with the standard clay letter. Now, if only it would work on my smelly dogs and my stinky teenagers!

 

[QuietPony]

Oh, and as far a DE is concerned, I WAS planning on using that (with a sandy mixture) in a dust bath bowl (large flower pot) once we graduate to getting the flock out of our house.
I use it in my garden anyhow. It's super dusty, so I wouldn't use it indoors. But that just my feelings on it. And it's great for getting rid of teeny tiny things that in the long run can become a big problem.

 

[justamomma]

I just saw everybodies replies Thank you! I will get some PDZ for inside the coop, Does TSC sell it? I will use my DE for the dust bath so it doesn't go to waste.