# Any one use DE?



## b_elms (Mar 23, 2014)

Diatomaceous Eart? I've never used this before. Is this a good way to go for my hens?


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Works wonders if you have mites to deal with. I had a hen that was just covered with them when she became ill. I sprinkled it in the dust bath, their nest boxes, and in their wood chips to prevent the others from getting them in case they were exposed. (Yes, I isolated my hen soon as I noticed she was ill which thankfully was before she got all the mites which prey on sick animals.) Its safe for them and your gardens. Its not something I would actively use though if there wasn't a reason for it.


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## LittleWings (Jul 15, 2013)

I agree with 7chicks. I would not use it unless there was a problem. I use deep litter in my coops and DE kills the microbes and nematodes that are eating the poop so I can't use it there.


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## b_elms (Mar 23, 2014)

Thanks for all the info and help!


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

De does not kill Bactria. It works on mites and lice because it cut into the body's of them.


Mbrock/Sw Fla


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

mbrock said:


> De does not kill Bactria. It works on mites and lice because it cut into the body's of them.
> 
> Mbrock/Sw Fla


So does sand. While my birds were on sand I never saw mites.


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

Same idea. Really fine sands do the same but a not as hard as the DE. DE is use here on homes were they have wood floors, it gets put down broomed in the cracks and let set a day or two, then vacuumed( all done with a respirator) repeated to rid them from things like fleas. It keeps owners from using pesticide. For me I use it outside my own home around and in non living areas. I do believe that there are safe pesticides and mitecides, but if I can do it with out them I will. 


Mbrock/Sw Fla


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

I bought some and use it in little mans pen. He can't take a dirt bath with his leg being the way it is, so we sprinkle it all over his pen that way we can keep the mites at bay. Some days we take him out and give him a dirt bath he loves it but when we don't have time we don't have to worry because we know we have DE in his pen now.

I was wondering the other day if DE will get rid of fire ants, we have big time issues with those around here, and so far the only thing I have found that rids me of most of them is laundry detergent. I sprinkle it on the mounds, and it kills loads of them. However it also kills the grass for about a year.


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## mbrock (Sep 17, 2014)

hildar said:


> I bought some and use it in little mans pen. He can't take a dirt bath with his leg being the way it is, so we sprinkle it all over his pen that way we can keep the mites at bay. Some days we take him out and give him a dirt bath he loves it but when we don't have time we don't have to worry because we know we have DE in his pen now.
> 
> I was wondering the other day if DE will get rid of fire ants, we have big time issues with those around here, and so far the only thing I have found that rids me of most of them is laundry detergent. I sprinkle it on the mounds, and it kills loads of them. However it also kills the grass for about a year.


DE can work on fire ants. But it's not so simply. First I want to say that have been in the turf in industry for almost 20 years in the south dealing with fire ants and the family are huge beekeepers( turf people often get a bad rap). Fire ants will alway be an issue no matter the resources. To make DE work you may have to go against things you have been told not to do. This is how I use DE(when I do). DE is most effective when used on single mounds. Just spreading it out over an area many work a little but will,most likely cause the mound to move not die. First have you DE ready,sprinkle over the mound. Then take a larger stick or piece of rebar stick into the mound stir trying to get as deep in to the mound as DE will only kill ants that are touching it. So any ant that doesn't come into contact with the DE will not die from the DE but are starved to death because the colony lose so many worker ants that it can no longer function. You can keep working the DE into the down and adding more. Just so you know if you do use some type of bait(there are many) don't disturb the mount if you do they won't eat the bait and bait has to be eaten. They feed the queen bait she dies the colony dies. Be careful when using baits because the chemical often put on some type of carrier like ground corn cob, paper or other organic material. Chickens may find the bait and eat it. The best resents I think come from chemicals that sterilize the the queen allow her to lay unfertilized eggs. This is a slower process but results are better. The same precautions about the carrier apply to these. I have used soap as well. Soap works best on the mounds treated one at time using a drench. 
I use lemon dish soap mixed with some water pour over the mounds and repeat. The die off of the grass is the soap staying on the plants leaves or the soap is to concentrated and burns the roots of the plant. If you use the soap a watering of the areas soaped should help with the di back. Also it is best when using soap to do it in the morning or evening don't the miday sun. I spread the front yard with laundry detergent in the evening and water it in at night(I do it for flea and tick control). Lastly there is a myth that corn meal will control ants, this is false. It does have roots in the truth. Basically people have taken the idea that the carrier of the pesticide( as described) is doing the killing. I have had so many people tell the corn meal is eaten then swells up killing the ant. This is false. Sorry about the long post.
P.S. Here are a few links to see how the mound is underground. Gives you an idea why they are not easy to kill. 
http://standingoutinmyfield.wordpre...nest-architecture-featuring-molten-aluminium/





Mbrock/Sw Fla


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## TheLazyL (Jun 20, 2012)

robin416 said:


> So does sand. While my birds were on sand I never saw mites.


Yep. Run floor is 100% sand. 2 1/2 years with zero mite problems.

Jinx that didn't I?


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