All About Diatomaceous Earth and Your Backyard Chickens
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 มิ.ย. 2023
- RSM has an updated video about using diatomaceous earth with backyard chickens. What is it, anyway? - and how does it help chickens? What are the risks and things to consider? Get RSM's honest take on why she's using DE with her backyard flock again, and her concerns with it too.
RSM's chosen brand of DE here (affiliate link): amzn.to/42JCQS0
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RSM is not a medical professional.
I do a major coop cleaning at least once a year every spring. I clean out my coop every morning when my girls come off the roost so it always pretty clean. The annual cleaning includes removing all bedding, scraping anything down where needed, and then I shop vacuum the entire coop. I use DE to dust down the inside before putting in the new bedding. I wear two mask and goggles and I leave all doors and windows open. The girls are blocked off until all the dust clears. I mix a little in my self feeder of laying pellets. I have found that it helps to keep the feed from clumping up so bad. I never dust my girls with it. I do create a dusting spot in the run itself to include DE, wood ash from my wood heater, and a little extra sand or dirt. So far I haven’t had any issues. Thank you so much for all you do. You have helped me over the past few years more than you know!!
Oh that’s kind, thank you! And yes it sounds like we do a lot of the same things! I do use DE on my seasonal deep clean but I guess I never trusted it enough to use it more regularly. Is your dust bath out in the open? Do you feel like you replenish the DE when it gets wet? ✌🏻❤️🐓
I also use it in my coop to prevent lice, never had any problems, been using it for 2 years straight.
Just a light dusting after cleaning the coop, that`s it.
I use barn lime when it is wet out. It help dry up the soil and helps with smell.
All natural Spearmint, Rosemary, Garlic, Thyme, and clove. Thank You So much for responding.😄
Hey! Let me know what you think after you’ve used it a while. All of those ingredients sound amazing (I love cloves but hadn’t heard of using that with chickens before). ✌🏻❤️🐓
Love your vids so much very helpful specially, about the tomatoes😎😎😎 I got tomato seeds and a video about the tomato is very helpful so thank you so much❤️❤️❤️your fave rat 🐀🐁🐀
I use DE maybe twice a year. Only when the flies get so bad I can’t stand it. I’ll put some in the coop and some times in their food in the spring. I doubt I’m doing much good using it and may not buy it any more. I’m a little scared just using it.
That’s honestly how I feel too. It does have benefits but there are also risks and conditions to it. I personally would never want to put it in their feed but I’ll “dust” with it a few times a year. ✌🏻❤️🐓
I ordered MitesB gone for their nesting boxes. What do you think about this stuff? Thanks so Much
Hi! I haven’t heard of it before but I’d check the ingredients and compare it - food grade DE is great for example
Hello! I guess my question is even if you don't let the girls in a DE treated area until the dust settles, aren't they likely to scratch it about and put it back into the air they're breathing? I don't have chickens quite yet (but I'm getting soooo close to my years long dream, yeah!) and I equally worry about potential parasites and the things used to prevent them! I know (from researching) that a lot of people use and swear by DE, so I'm trying to weigh the odds and I know there's no black and white answer, just wondering if that's ever been a concern of yours? I've just found your channel and I'm delighted so far! I have been researching this for a while now and I haven't found another chicken channel that I enjoy as much as yours!
Hi! Yes you’re right it’s a difficult balance. I don’t worry personally if they’re scratching about in an open air area. I do worry about them agitating stuff in their coop or nesting box so I’m mindful that the DE is covered up there. ✌🏻❤️🐓
Do you ever use Saturday lime?
Hi! I never have but I do understand its benefits. I think because I have a smaller space and it’s not built the way I want it, I haven’t bothered. ✌🏻❤️🐓
Good morning where do you buy diatomaceous I have been looking all over and cannot find it
Hi! You can look on Amazon or supplement/health stores. There should be a food grade one. You might also find it with gardening/nurseries. 🌱☀️❤️
What do you recommend for mites and other bugs?
Hi! DE or poultry dust might be enough (with a full deep clean of the coop), and give them a space for a dust bath if you don’t already. You can also consider bathing the chickens if it’s bad as it’ll drown the mites and help slough off the eggs, and/or deworming them as the pests are feeding off of the bird. But it also depends on if you’ve wormed recently, etc. ✌🏻❤️🐓 theMama@realsimplemama.com
We need to be aware as well that if you want to compost chicken bedding, do not use DE.
If you have bees or other beneficial insects in the garden, DE will kill them.
But it's also temporary because once you stop dusting DE, or you have rain, DE is no longer effective.
Oh that’s true, I always forget about composting! Good point! ✌🏻❤️🐓🌱
Can you please tell me why we can’t compost if we’ve used DE? Thank you!
@Momma4Freedom hi! It’s an insect killer and it can kill beneficial guys like bees and worms. Think of it like being thrown into broken glass. ✌🏻❤️🐓
@@realsimplemama ok that makes sense, but you mentioned that once it is wet it loses its affectivness? Sorry, I’m just a curious person and really want to understand how everything works and how it all affects other things. I definitely don’t want to cause any harm. I’ve already got some compost going that has DE in it so do you know if there is anything I can do with that? Thank you so much for your knowledge and time! I grew raising beef cattle and grass hay, but no chickens. My Momma wouldn’t let us get chickens because the ones she had as a kid had such bad bugs. Lol. That was like 75 years ago! I now have 16 and supply eggs to all of my elderly aunts and my folks. It is so fun and I never knew I liked chickens so much! Lol
@Momma4Freedom hey! That’s a good point. I know that it’s ineffective once wet, for sure. As far as it being “safe” once you hose down the compost, for example, I’m not sure. You could potentially do a small batch and see what happens?
Thank you!
My coop is really muddy
Do you think I should just put it in their bedding only?
Hi! Yea I would. Inside only. Outside it’ll become useless as soon as it’s wet. ✌🏻❤️🐓
Yeah personally only use it in the nesting boxes and the run under their coop I still can’t get them to go into the tire lol so where ever I see them digging and laying I try to back door them and toss some DE in that whole lol
Have you ever experienced your chickens combs looking dirty/black?
Hi! The only instance I’ve seen that is with frostbite (which probably doesn’t make sense in your situation). But that flesh can also look black when it’s scabbed over, or when they’re getting fowl pox/wet pox. You can send me photos and I can try to help but remember I’m not a vet, and definitely look into those things I mentioned! ✌🏻❤️🐓 theMama@realsimplemama.com
@@realsimplemama I'll send a picture over once I get home and get a good picture of it.