Is it safe to dust chicks with diatomaceous earth?

[InsaneBreeder]

Mine got mites from their mother, and I was wondering if I could use diatomaceous earth instead of a commercial dust.

 

[LarryPQ]

It is safe enough...could cause respiratory issues, but it probably won't do much for the mites. You need some sort of insecticide.

 

[Laurieks]

I put DE under their bedding (dusted the freshly washed brooder bin with it-like flour dusting a cake pan

), so they didn't breathe it (as much), and put a few drops of Thieves' oil (a proprietary blend of lemon, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus & rosemary said to protect thieves from plague http://www.secretofthieves.com/ sold by Young Living, mentioned on Yahoo Organic chickens group) in their waterer, when I inadvertently gave them mites in some bedding borrowed from a new roo's crate. Low dose Ivermec can also be added to water.

 

[katieash]

I have bought medical grade diatom from www.diatomx.co.uk The site looked quite nice, has tons of information and does different types of Diatom but I bought the white powdered version as I have read it is good for cutting cholesterol levels, has anyone else experienced this?

Kate

ps, from what i have read, it has 90+% silicone which is good for you and less than 3% of this is crystalline silicone so it relatively harmless when inhaled. It is the cheaper stuff that is over 5% crystalline silica that can cause lung silicosis

 

[DaveD]

katieash, I looked at the site you mention and the DE for Animal is also safe for human consumption (They specifically say it on their site) - at about 27 english pounds less cost for a large bag. I know from reading on various other websites that the "white" is pure and the other stuff can have a small amount of iron or clay in it, which causes it to be an off-white color. But they are both completely safe. Just wanted you know know, in cas you only noticed them advertise it as "for humans" and for "animals"

 

[txchickie]

I've dusted/rubbed down chicks with mites. It seems when I get a sneaky banty broody, she always gets mites and so do her chicks. DE has eliminated the mites every time.

I turn the mama hen upside down and dust her, as well as getting a small handful and rubbing it all over her (under wings, etc...) and I also rub down the chicks with the DE. I also completley clean wherever she sat and hatched the chicks (random places like under the porch, in a big thicket of weeds, in the hay bale stack) and dust the area with DE since she usually returns there with her babies at night.