Chicken bald back

[chickchock]

Hi everyone

 

When we bought our chickens we were given a bag of diotomaceous (sp??) earth with instructions that it could go in their food as a wormer and round the coop to deter mite and also to dust the chickens with them.

 

I have two questions:

 

1. I've been putting it in the food once a week but am not convinced they are getting any because however well i mix it in, it is always left at the bottom of the feeder so i don't think it sticks to the pellets. Is there an easier way?

 

2. How often should the girls themselves be dusted?

 

Thank you!

[sjp]

the best way to get power to mix in with pellets is to use cod liver oil from a farm supply shop or a equestrian supply shop it'll be cheaper than the chemists plus if you tell the chemist what you want it for they might/ can refuse to sell it to you

[Stargazer99]

Hi, I use it in the coop to hopefully deter red mite and also put it in the girls purpose made dust bath. Not aware that you can feed it to them. Sorry I am no help

[Sil-El]

I put it in their feeder but I might give the cod liver oil thing a go.

 

I also put liberal handfuls all over the hen house, into nooks and corners and also just chuck loads of it on the ground where they dust bathe. I don't have any set routine, I just do it as and when I think about it to be honest.

 

We've only been keeping chickens for 3 years but in that time we've never had any problems with red mite or any other nasties - although I've probably gone and jinxed it now haven't I?