There is no end to beneficial herbs for use in the chicken coop, run, and dust bath. When we make our chicken dust bath, we add half soil and half wood ash, which we’ll go over next! At the end of the day, you don’t need to be overly cautious in how you use diatomaceous earth. As with any dust, it is not good to breathe in large amounts of diatomaceous earth. Because it's known that diatomaceous earth can help control parasites, it can be added to dust baths for chickens. Imagine diatomaceous earth as a soothing bath bomb that you can add to your ladies personal hygiene routine. Not only is it unnecessary, it is unhealthy for chickens, humans and the environment. Your chickens can eat it, roll around in it, even bathe in the stuff and it will only render positive results. So, naturally, they will pursue your lovely landscaping for their dust baths. I am often asked about the utility and safety of food grade, diatomaceous earth (DE) in dust bath areas. For a closer look at the hazards of DE, read these articles: here and here. Think about adding some of these easy to access ingredients. F ood grade diatomaceous earth (also known as DE and fossilized shell flour) is a naturally-occurring, fossilized mineral dust with microscopic, razor-sharp edges that act as a mechanical insecticide by slicing into insects’ bodies and absorbing their bodily fluids thereby dehydrating them to death. Now, don’t confuse a dust bath with a mud bath…chickens like silty, dry, dirt that is usually out of reach of aerial predators. Why Do Chickens Take Dust Baths. It helps them maintain their skin and feathers and controls parasites. Chickens take dust baths for the same reasons humans bathe…well, for some of the same reasons. It’s also a great additive for a dust bath. They’ll help ward off bugs, make cleaning easier and keep your girls nice and clean. The next thing to add to your chicken’s dust bath is either wood ash or Diatomaceous Earth. I have absolutely no mites or other pests in my flock of 14. Thyme is also well known for its bug-repellent properties, perfect for deterring mites and lice. Both of these powdery substances help to significantly cut down on insects living on your chickens. Sulfur has been found to not only eliminate mites and lice on chickens after dustbathing but also eliminates mites and lice on chickens that don’t use the dust bath (pest control by proxy). ABOUT DIATOMACEOUS EARTH. Diatomaceous Earth. Diatomaceous Earth Uses: Other Uses for Diatomaceous Earth. I’m a huge fan of diatomaceous earth. Step 3: Add Wood Ash or Diatomaceous Earth. Some claim that adding food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) to the dust bathing area combats external parasites. 5. Chickens love to bathe in the dust and dirt, in order to … As the chickens roll, flop, and play in the dust bath, they cover themselves with the DE-infused sand and it helps to rid them of mites and other crawly things that live on chickens. Diatomaceous Earth. A dust bath is the chicken equivalent of a daily dirt shower. You can buy this product from Bio-D, who sell an organic grade, high quality Diatomaceous Earth by the bucket full. Uses for diatomaceous earth with chickens. The same study found that the sand and sulfur dust bath eliminated the pests for 2-4 weeks after the dust bath was removed. So what else can it be used for? Diatomaceous earth is basically sharp, tiny dust-like particles that can literally cut tiny parasites such as mites and lice. If you really want to give your pet chickens a treat, try buying them a dust bath with Diatomaceous Earth. Dust bathing. There are ways you can supercharge your chicken dust bath area. I’ve used it for loads of things over the years; getting rid of fleas my cats brought into my home, dusting my chicks bedding and coop to kill parasites, supplementing food, and more. How can you help your chickens dust bathe? Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth. 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