Mite Powder Query

[KathJ]

I don't know whether this comes under the 'silly questions' category but my girls currently have access to the greenhouse and love to dust bathe in the fine soil in there. I've read on previous posts about putting mite powder into the dust baths but I'm worried about putting it down in there because they also peck about in the soil and would end up eating it. Would it cause any harm if they did

[jackian]

Mine have mite and louse powder in the large trug they use to dust bath .I am sure if it was harmful none of us would use it ,so I say it's fine ...only my opinion though

[aceface]

Mine have mite and louse powder in the large trug they use to dust bath .I am sure if it was harmful none of us would use it ,so I say it's fine ...only my opinion though

its a powdered form of fossilised shell
if found and read this when i researched it, bit of a geek though when it comes to wanting to know everything bout everything ,sorry if it too boring but the pic of the marine diatoms is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

i think it explains alot of what it does and why its safe for use ,hope it helps ,ive been using it 18 months in dustbaths and my lot seem ok

[chicks&cats]

Do you use diatomaceous earth (DE) as your mite powder? As Ace has put already this is completely natural (Ace, we love your research ). I don't know if there are other powders with other stuff in?

[aceface]

Do you use diatomaceous earth (DE) as your mite powder? As Ace has put already this is completely natural (Ace, we love your research ). I don't know if there are other powders with other stuff in?

thanx chicks n cats i meant to say i put DE in dustbaths but as usual speed reading and omitting is my downfall

it will say on the back of the tub whats in it so you can goggle things and see whats what i do this with all things i use on the hens sometimes i can be a bit chicken boring

[chicks&cats]

sometimes i can be a bit chicken boring

No such thing Ace.

[julie62]

I use DE too - it seems to be the main ingredient in all the organic mite powders. You can buy big bags of it on fleabay and it works out much cheaper than the mite powders. I always sprinkle it in the hen house and on their bedding and never had any problems.

[chicken_house_man]

It really depends on the ingredients. There are some that may contain pesticides but DE is safe as is the barrier powders.