DE vs deep litter

Post Reply
User avatar
Satellite
On the Roost
Posts: 141
Joined: Sat May 21, 2016 6:27 pm
Location: Peterborough
x 171

DE vs deep litter

Post by Satellite » Tue Jul 12, 2016 10:18 pm

Hello all

after a winter and spring with deep litter doing well to now find scaly leg mites. ....which I have read can be treated with Diatomaceous Earth for the coop I am torn....if I use the DE, it can't be deep litter as the good bacteria won't break down.


Any thoughts/findings from more experienced folks? I like the deep litter due to my laziness but treated for scaly leg mites is cancelling out the lack of work on the deep litter part.
0

User avatar
ross
Teenaged Cockerel
Posts: 4957
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:54 am
Answers: 2
Location: Parkhill /Thedford SW Ont
x 8486

DE vs deep litter

Post by ross » Tue Jul 12, 2016 10:29 pm

I free range & have deep litter pens etc & put DE in a dust bath container for free use . No problems that I see . Luck
Last edited by ross on Tue Jul 12, 2016 11:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1
ENJOY YOUR HUNTING / FISHING HERITAGE & the GREATNESS of CANADA

User avatar
thegawd
Head Cockerel-Moderator
Posts: 3658
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:30 pm
Answers: 1
Location: Port Lambton
x 3739

DE vs deep litter

Post by thegawd » Tue Jul 12, 2016 10:30 pm

if I remember correctly... scaley leg mites spend there entire life cycle on the birds legs so you dont have to worry about the mites living in the bedding. as for treating the scaley leg mites im not entirely sure as iv not delt with them either.

de is not necessarily ment for treating anything but rather a preventive measure. i run deep litter in most of my coops and all my birds have access to de.
2
Al

Home Grown Poultry

User avatar
Ontario Chick
Poultry Guru
Posts: 5397
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:12 am
Answers: 2
Location: Carp - West Ottawa
x 9618

DE vs deep litter

Post by Ontario Chick » Tue Jul 12, 2016 10:34 pm

DE is a preventative, but scaly leg mites will need to be treated individually for all the birds affected.
Vaseline rubbed on the legs works well, it suffocates the mites and cleans up the residue under the scales.
Posted at the same time as Al, :iagree:
2

User avatar
Satellite
On the Roost
Posts: 141
Joined: Sat May 21, 2016 6:27 pm
Location: Peterborough
x 171

DE vs deep litter

Post by Satellite » Wed Jul 13, 2016 7:06 am

Thanks so replying
0

User avatar
Robbie
Head Chicken
Posts: 1390
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:24 am
Answers: 1
Location: Cadmus, Ontario
x 867

DE vs deep litter

Post by Robbie » Wed Jul 13, 2016 7:57 am

IMO diatomaceous earth is over- rated and I never use it.
1
:sFun_mornincoffee:

User avatar
Maximus
x 4839

DE vs deep litter

Post by Maximus » Wed Jul 13, 2016 8:42 am

0

User avatar
Doug The Chickenman
On the Roost
Posts: 198
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:40 pm
Location: near Kemptville south of Ottawa
x 210

DE vs deep litter

Post by Doug The Chickenman » Wed Jul 13, 2016 8:50 am

Scaly leg mite is easily fixed.
Scrub the legs with a toothbrush and soapy water, get under the scales. what is lifting the scales is the fecal mater of the mites so you want to remove that. after you have scrubbed them you want to kill the mites the easiest way is either with Vaseline or Vegetable oil which will suffocate them. do this routine every other day until there is no evidence and the scales have settled back down on the leg.
1

User avatar
Jaye
Poultry Guru - chick level
Posts: 2954
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:14 am
Answers: 3
Location: E Ontario
x 2995

DE vs deep litter

Post by Jaye » Wed Jul 13, 2016 9:14 am

I had to treat a few of my chickens for scaly leg mites last year. I treated with Ivermectin, and I cleaned their legs off with warm water and Epsom salts using a soft toothbrush, rinsed, patted dry and used Vet RX on legs. VetRX contains two different oils, one of which is oregano oil, which has antiseptic properties.
0
RIP Scooby, AKA Awesome Dog. Too well loved to ever be forgotten. "Sometime in June", 2005 - January 24, 2017.
"Until one has loved an animal, part of one's soul remains unawakened" - Anatole France

Post Reply

Return to “Bedding Choices and Methods”