I am on the fence about sulphur as a preventative (have it on hand though), and am re-thinking wood ash too, which I have added in a small amount in with the soil in the dustbath. (I'm definitely not a fan of DE.) The level of dust with what's there now worries me. In wintertime it is not breezy enough in my covered run probably.Yes it is safe,,, Only drawback with sulfur,,,,,, If you handle sulfur dusted chickens,,, your hands may smell like rotten eggs. That is the smell of sulfur. Washes off easily.
The rotten eggs smell is also common in Yellowstone Nat. Park geysers. Yes,,, from sulfur
This is the one I am using. It stretches' a long way.
Once you think your mites are well under control,,, then just stop adding to dusting area.
I have discussed this on our state thread in the past. Some individuals place a quantity of sulfur into a sock. Hang the sock in the chicken pop door area. As chickens exit, and enter,, they brush some sulfur onto their feathers. I have not tried that myself. Just into the dusting hole spots.
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In case there are no Ace Hardware stores in your area,,, just do a Google search like this, And click shopping tab.
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The doggie pool dustbath is all very dry, it's soil and pebbles and a cup of wood ash. The inside of the covered run there is coated with the dust, there's a cloud when they get going in it. That can't be good for their lungs. I might replace it all with just fresh plain soil soon.
Cackle Hatchery says this in part, and thinks sulphur might be good to use temporarily. A covered bath outdoors is ideal in their opinion -
"...
Chickens with access to dry soil outdoors will create their own dusting bowls. In a coop bedded with deep litter, they will dust bathe indoors during unpleasant weather. To ensure that your chickens have adequate opportunities for dust bathing, provide a bin of dry soil, fine sand, or loose litter both outdoors in the run and inside the coop.
[...]
Many chicken keepers are fond of adding such things such as wood ashes, diatomaceous earth (DE), or sulfur garden powder to their chickens’ dusting bin to control external parasites. Although these materials can effectively discourage external parasites, they can also be harmful to the chickens’ health. Chickens are highly susceptible to respiratory problems, and breathing in any of these additives can make matters worse. If you should wear a dust mask while handling these materials, think how harmful they would be to a chicken, with its faster respiration rate and delicate respiratory system of air sacs.
On the other hand, for chickens that are seriously infested with parasites, the benefit of temporarily adding such materials may outweigh the potential danger. Pesticidal sulfur, labeled for treating fruit and vegetable plants, has been used for ages to control mites and lice on chickens.
Sulfur occurs naturally in the environment. When added to the chickens’ dust bath, it is more effective than diatomaceous earth for two reasons. It has a residual effect, where DE does not. Also unlike DE, the effectiveness of sulfur rubs off onto chickens that don’t themselves bathe in the sulfur-treated dust box.
If you wish your chickens to live long and prosper, make sure the dustbin containing sulfur, or any other additive, is in a well-ventilated area — ideally, outdoors, where breezes will whisk away airborne dust. For an indoor dusting bin, ventilate the coop well enough to prevent dust particles from hanging in the air.
..."
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/dust...pers are fond,harmful to the chickens' health.
