Summer is just around the corner and that means one thing for chicken keepers: red mite season is just around the corner!
Here we look at how diatomaceous earth powder can help you keep your chickens and their hens free of red mites and is a good addition to their daily dust bath.
How do you know if you have a red mites problem?
Red mites, or to call them by their official name: Dermanyssus Gallinae, can occur both in your chicken coop and on your chickens themselves.
An easy way to tell if you have a red mite problem in your home is to place a small square of white towel material in the corner of your nest boxes or over the end of a perch.
The red mite will hide in the folds, thinking they cannot be seen, and in the morning it will have turned a reddish-brown color.
What should you do if you have a red mite infestation? Diatomaceous earth, or DE for short, can be used in animals and birds to treat external parasites (lice, fleas, mites) and even internal parasites (worms). It is one of the most popular items we recommend at BHWT to combat red mites.
What is diatomaceous earth powder and how does it work?
Diatomaceous earth is a 100% natural product, made from the fossilized remains of ancient shellfish. These residues are turned into a powder containing 80-90% silica, which is found in everything from rocks to plants and even people. However, diatomaceous earth powder contains silica in concentrated form, which makes it unique. It is inert and safe for humans and animals.
Diatomaceous earth powder works when the mites crawl through the dust to feed the chickens at night. The microscopically sharp shards that make up diatomaceous earth scratch the waxy shell of the mites, without which they cannot hold water and thus dry out and die.
We recommend that you wear gloves and a dust mask when applying diatomaceous earth, as it can irritate the skin in some cases. It is also important to use only food grade DE powder in and around your chicken coop.
The benefits of diatomaceous earth powder
There are many benefits to placing a container of diatomaceous earth in your chicken coop that contains the essentials. Here are just a few:
- No Chemicals - Diatomaceous earth is completely natural and contains no chemicals. This means that it can be used outdoors and does not harm the environment.
- Can be eaten by your chickens without harming them
- Great product for use in dust baths all year round. In winter or summer, Diatomaceous Earth is a great addition to your chicken coopstofbad.
It is worth noting that there are claims that diatomaceous earth powder can treat worms and internal parasites; However, there is no scientific evidence to support this, so we recommend correct administrationdeworming routinefor your chickens.
How to use diatomaceous earth
DE powder should be applied to the garden by spreading the powder into cracks, crevices and nest boxes where mites hide. Rub along the perches and apply to the stable floor after cleaning.
DE powder can also be placed in a litter box with some dry soil so your chickens can treat themselves to a spa day and enjoy a dust bath.
We recommend using Diatomaceous Earth powder as a preventive product or as part of a mite control treatment to reduce mites and lice in your poultry.
click hereto buy diatomaceous earth powder from the online store and call our chicken helpline on 01884 860084 if you need further advice on eradicating red mites in your chicken coop.
Additional sources of information about diatomaceous earth:
Bos, TR; Bond, C.; Bühl, K.; Steen, D. 2013.General fact sheet about diatomaceous earth; National Pesticide Information Center, Oregon State University Extension Services
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