[egbert]

Hi
I bought some Diatom today for the chooks, having seen it so well recommended on here. According to the supplier it can be mixed in with the earth they roll in, spread round the bedding etc.

So, how do you use yours? Do you dust it over the wood, dust the chooks in it, mix it with water? Not sure of the best and most productive way to use it.

Cheers

[doganjo]

I scatter it dry absolutely everywhere - it is so cheap and it goes a long long way! In their nesting boxes, in the corners of their shed, round the ends of the perches, in their dust bath(the bottom of a HUGE leylandii - I keep thinking they will topple it one day - has anyone ever heard of 7 hens toppling a leylandii?), and if they stand still loong enough they get it puffed up their bums!

[Womble]

We've used it dry in the nest boxes and dust holes, and when our girls had an outbreak of lice, directly on them (they were not pleased!). The diatom worked very well though, and all lice were gone within a week.

However, the best use so far has been to make up a slurry with water, and paint it on the perches and inside walls of the coop etc. This got rid of a nasty red mite infestation in double quick time, and remains effective for a very long time.

[langdon]

diatom,poultry shield, bug spray etc.
i have tried all of these and go back to using them but i have to be honest, when i do a clean out of
my chuck house which is every two weeks i still see the little bas*****
in my opinion you(we) never will be on top, only scratching the surface.
out of the few that i mentioned i think poultry shield is the best and i am due to get me hands on some soon.
mw and my ife are furious at the moment, alot of our chucks have bare red bottoms at the moment and as i said we have used every product
and followed manufactors instructions.
it is so easy to feel you are a bad poultry keeper but we keep telling each other that we are using all these different products and spending
all this money and time on our chucks, so we are alor easier on ourselves now.
sorry for rammbling on but i love my chucks and other animals ere, i just get so annoyed when you read on the label
GREAT PRODUCT KILLS RED MITE AND ALL OTHER NASTIES, im sure we have all read this before
langdon

[valr]

I must get some - where do you buy yours, Annie?
Sorry to hear you are having a nightmare with beasties, Langdon.

[doganjo]

I got mine online about a year ago - It was a big tub and it's just finished.  I can't remember where I got it so I've gioven teh tub to Tony at teh Trade Centre pet shop in Alloa to tryt o find it for me.  I have a feeling I just googled it and found a few places that sell it.

Sorry about your beasties, Langdon.  I just use Diatom and flypapers, and have never seen any beasties, but I must admit I don't wear my reading specs in the chicken shed.

[Fleecewife]

Hi Langdon.  Have you tried using a blow torch all around the hen houses every time you clean them?  We used to use that but nearly lost eyebrows too often so now we use a 'weed wand' as it has a longer handle.  Sometimes the cobwebs go up in flames which adds a bit of excitement.  We do around the perch very carefully and in all the cracks and crannies and we haven't seen a red mite in years (fingers crossed).  The weed wand is great for lighting bonfires too. We don't use it for weeding though as it frazzles too many beneficial insects at the same time.

[langdon]

flypapers as in the yellow sticky ones for the glass house?
if so GREAT as they work brilliant in there!
cheers

[Helencus]

I just got some diatom seeing how many folks here recommend it. Luckily I haven't seen any beasties in my coop or on my girls and here's hoping it stays that way! I spread it all over the coop and boxes and mixed it in the bedding. Also puffed it round all nooks and crannies. Will try mixing with water and painting the inside too.
Got mine off eBay very cheap for huge tub.

[doganjo]

flypapers as in the yellow sticky ones for the glass house?
if so GREAT as they work brilliant in there!
cheers

Yup, £1 for 8 in Poundland!