Diatomaceous Earth For Chickens: Is It Safe For Use in Coop?

Are you worried about using diatomaceous earth for chickens? If so, this guide will help you to learn all about it.

Here you will know what diatomaceous earth is, its use, best products and faqs related to it.

What is Diatomaceous Earth?

Diatomaceous earth is a porous, white powder that is the remains of diatoms. These fossilized remains build up over time to make up large deposits, primarily on water bodies where they can be mined. 

The fossilized skeletons of the tiny diatoms make up diatomaceous earth. Diatoms are a type of algae that can exist in both fresh and saltwater. 

Although their sizes and shapes vary, they all share the property of being extremely small. There are deposits of diatomaceous earth all throughout the globe, especially in water bodies both fresh and salty. 

The diatomaceous earth is made up of either freshwater or seawater-fossilized diatoms, depending on the deposit location. It is extracted from open pit mines and ground to the required size for a variety of uses.

Also read: Best vitamins and minerals for chickens

Top 5 Best Diatomaceous Earth for Chickens

1. Harris Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade for Chickens

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This diatomaceous earth is one of the best supplements that you can have in your home if you are rearing chickens. 

It has unique and amazing properties that will help keep your chicken healthy and, if they are laying eggs, the eggs laid will be bigger, healthier, and more nutritious. 

Harris diatomaceous earth meets and is approved by the FDA. Therefore, you can use it with total confidence since it is safe for your chicken consumption.

Additionally, this supplement is fully organic and OMRI listed (listed with the Organic Mineral Research Institute). Thus making it safe to use and feed your chicken. 

There are no chemicals involved in making food-grade Harris diatomaceous earth since it is naturally sourced from fresh water in Nevada. 

Further, apart from feeding Harris diatomaceous earth to your chicken, you can mix it with sand where they bathe to help in getting rid of harmful parasites from their bodies. 

You can also use Harris diatomaceous earth by pouring the powder around your chicken coop to prevent and get rid of insects, ants that may harm your chicken.

Furthermore, when purchasing this Harris diatomaceous earth, a powder duster is included that you can use to easily and efficiently apply it to your chicken’s feed.

Pros

• Listed by OMRI
• It meets the standards set by the FDA.
• A powder duster is included for easy application.
• It can be used for killing various pests.

Cons

• The packaging is not very strong. Therefore, it can easily tear and create a lot of messy airborne powder if not handled with care.
• Once you open it, it cannot be sealed.

2. Safer Brand 51703 OMRI Listed Diatomaceous Earth

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Safer Brand 51703 is an amazing diatomaceous earth powder that if you have in your home, you can forget about bugs infesting your house or your chickens and their coop. 

This is due to the unique properties of Safer Brand 51703 diatomaceous earth for chickens. You can use this diatomaceous earth with confidence in your home since it is a natural product.

It does not have any chemicals that may harm your kids and pets. Additionally, the diatomaceous earth content in Safer Brand 51703 will help in killing multiple crawling insects in your home, such as roaches, ants, fleas, silverfish, earwigs, bedbugs, and many more.

The impressive contents of Safer Brand 51703 diatomaceous earth will attract insects, and after they have contacted the powder, they will get dehydrated and die within 48 hours, hence leaving your home and chicken coop safe. 

Moreover, Safer Brand 51703 is OMRI Listed, and therefore you can safely use it in your home to get rid of crawling insects. You can also safely use this diatomaceous earth for chickens both indoors and outdoors.

Indoors, you can use it to kill bedbugs on your beds and mattresses. You can also use it to get rid of any crawling insects in your kitchen, garage, basement, and many more. 

Outdoors, you can use Safer Brand 51703 to get rid of crawling insects from your kitchen coop.

Furthermore, you can also mix it with the dust where chickens bathe to get rid of insects from their bodies. After opening the bag containing Safer Brand 51703 diatomaceous earth, you can easily reseal it for safe and future use.

Pros

• It does not contain any chemicals.
• It is effective and kills crawling insects within two days of the contact time.
• The bag is re-sealable.
• Suitable for use both indoors and outdoors,
• It can be used to kill multiple insects and bugs.

Cons

• An applicator is not included in the purchase.

3. EasyGoProducts EGP-DE-05 Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This package of diatomaceous earth is a remarkable product that having with you in your home will not only help in getting rid of insects and keeping your pets, chickens, and other animals safe, but also use it in planting. 

You can safely use this diatomaceous earth on your animals since it meets the standards set by the FDA. Additionally, EasyGoProducts EGP-DE-05 Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade is OMRI Certified and Listed as a 100% Organic food grade product and therefore safe to use on your chickens.

You can use EasyGoProducts EGP-DE-05 Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade to get rid of various insects from your chicken coop within a short period, hence leaving them safe and comfortable.

Further, mixing this diatomaceous earth with your chicken food will help in their bone development. When you feed your chicken this product, it will help them lay bigger, healthier, and more nutritious eggs. 

Besides, this food-grade diatomaceous earth will help cleanse your chickens’ digestive tracts of internal parasites. EasyGoProducts EGP-DE-05 Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade is available in various sizes and options that you can choose from depending on your preference.

Pros

• It meets the standards set by the FDA.
• OMRI Listed and Certified
• It is available in various options and sizes.
• Suitable for multiple uses. 

Cons

• The applicator is not included in the purchase.

4. Earthborn Elements Diatomaceous Earth

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This diatomaceous earth from Earthborn Elements comes in a bucket that is easily resealable after use for stability and future use. 

Additionally, this diatomaceous earth is 100% pure and it contains amorphous silica sourced naturally from freshwater in Utah and is therefore highly rated, plus you can use it in various applications in your home. 

Apart from using this diatomaceous earth to kill insects in your chicken coop, you can also use it to purify water in your home for safe consumption.

Further, you can use this diatomaceous earth from Earthborn Elements to cleanse the digestive tract of internal parasites of your chicken. This product will also provide your chicken with essential minerals that will help with their bone development. 

Besides, if your chicken lays eggs, this diatomaceous earth features essential minerals that will help them lay more nutritious, bigger, and healthier eggs. 

Pros

• Suitable for multiple uses in your home.
• It is free from any chemicals or additives.
• It comes in a sealed bucket that can easily be resealed after use.
•  It meets the strict FCC food-grade standards.

Cons

• Opening this package can be challenging. Therefore, you may require a sharp tool or bucket opener.
• The applicator is not included.

5. Absorbent Products, Inc., Red Lake Diatomaceous Earth

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This diatomaceous earth for chickens is a fantastic product to have in your home. The Red Lake diatomaceous earth is rich in elements such as calcium that will aid in the bone development of your chicken. 

Additionally, using this product will help in cleansing the digestive tract of internal parasites in your chicken. This product also contains unique minerals that will aid your chicken in laying bigger, healthier, and more nutritious eggs.

You will not have to worry about crawling insects infesting your chicken coop since this diatomaceous earth is equipped with amazing features that will help get rid of them easily.

Moreover, you can use this diatomaceous earth on other animals in your home, such as goats and chickens.

Pros

• Safe to use in chickens and other animals in your home.
• Can be used in getting rid of various insects
• When consumed by chickens, it helps them lay bigger and more nutritious eggs
• It will help in promoting the bone development of your chicken

Cons

• None

Uses of Diatomaceous Earth for Chicken Coops

Diatomaceous earth has lots of use of in chicken coops. Here are some main uses:

Diatomaceous earth for flies in the chicken coop

Flies are some of the predators in your chicken coop that can cause your chicken harm. Diatomaceous earth is one of the best solutions that you can use to get rid of them. 

While feeding your chicken diatomaceous earth will help in cleaning the internal aspects, you will need to sprinkle the powder form in and around your chicken coop. 

Spraying diatomaceous earth around your chicken coop, bedding areas, and where they dust bath will help in getting rid of the flies. 

Once the flies have come into contact with the diatomaceous earth, their hard shells will get pierced and DE will absorb all the oils and fats that help the insects retain water. 

The flies will then die due to dehydration within a short time, leaving the chicken coop safe. Putting diatomaceous earth on or around your chicken coop will be effective in drying any wet surfaces where pests may lay their eggs.

Diatomaceous earth for chicken mites, lice, and other pests

Your chicken’s being unhealthy is caused by mites, lice, and other pests. Spraying or pouring diatomaceous earth will help get rid of any crawling insects from your yard. 

This is because diatomaceous earth features sharp and microscopic edges that will attack mites, lice, and other pests. 

The attack of these pests will be through cutting their outer skin and layer, therefore, leading to them losing moisture, becoming dehydrated, and then dying within a short time. 

Using diatomaceous earth will leave your chickens free from mites, lice, ticks, and other pests that may harm them.

Diatomaceous earth for chicken dust baths

Chickens are known to take dust baths. One of the best ways that you can get rid of the pests that affect them is to mix the diatomaceous earth with the dust that they use to bathe. 

When your chicken goes bathing in the dust, there will be diatomaceous earth with sharp microscopic edges that will cut through the bodies of the insects. 

This will lead to the pest losing moisture and then getting killed. However, not all the pests that have infested your chicken may die immediately after the dust bath in dust-containing diatomaceous earth. They may die later.

Diatomaceous earth in chicken feed

Putting diatomaceous earth in chicken feed is the best way of using it for various purposes. Adding food-grade diatomaceous earth to the chicken feed will help get rid of certain parasites in their internal organs. 

The best way is to add 10 to 15% volume of diatomaceous earth to your chicken feed and it will help in cleansing your chicken digestive tracts of internal parasites. 

Additionally, diatomaceous earth contains elements that may aid in bone development. The elements in diatomaceous earth will also help your chicken lay bigger, healthier, and more nutritious eggs.

Other FAQs

Is diatomaceous earth safe for chickens?

Diatomaceous earth is completely natural. It does not contain any chemicals that can harm your chicken. The sharp microscopic edges of diatomaceous earth cannot harm your chicken’s internal tracts or bodies, but it will help get rid of any pests from their bodies. 

Therefore, diatomaceous earth cannot cause any harm to your chickens. This makes them safe. Besides, diatomaceous earth for chickens contains elements that help in their bone development and in laying better eggs.

Which one is best, lime or diatomaceous earth for chickens?

Diatomaceous earth is the best. This is because diatomaceous earth possesses qualities that will benefit your chicken, especially when you mix them with the dust that your chicken uses to bathe. 

Lime does not contain any insecticidal qualities that may benefit your chickens when they are dust bathing.

How much diatomaceous earth for chickens?

If you want to feed your chicken diatomaceous feed, you do not need to mix much. You only need to sprinkle and mix diatomaceous earth into their food. 

The quantity of diatomaceous food should not be more than 5% of the total feed. You can mix a quarter cupful of diatomaceous earth into every five cups of chicken feed.

Where to buy diatomaceous earth for chickens?

You can buy diatomaceous earth on various online sites, such as Amazon. Additionally, there are local feed stores, garden centers, or hardware stores that sell diatomaceous earth that you can buy.

How often do you use diatomaceous earth for chickens?

You can mix diatomaceous earth with your chicken feed and feed them at least once every three months. If your chickens are foraging, you can mix the diatomaceous earth with the dust that they use to bathe at least once every three months.

How do you mix the diatomaceous earth with the chicken feed?

You will need a scoop that you will use to measure the exact quantity of diatomaceous earth that you want to mix with chicken feed. Then you will mix a quarter full of the scoop into every five full scoops of chicken feed. 

If you have a lot of chicken, you will mix one scoop of diatomaceous earth into every 20 full scoops of chicken feed.

How often should I sprinkle DE in a chicken coop?

You can sprinkle DE in your chicken coop as much as you want. It can be daily, weekly, or monthly.

Summary 

Diatomaceous earth is a natural product that is chemical free that you should have in your home for the benefit of your chickens. 

DE can be mixed with the dust that chickens use in dust-bathing to help get rid of any pests in their bodies.

Thanks to sharp, microscopic edges that will aid in piercing the hard shells of pests and getting rid of the oils and fats that help them retain moisture, hence killing them. 

Additionally, you can add a small portion of diatomaceous earth to your chicken feed to feed your chicken. Feeding your chicken diatomaceous earth will help in their bone development, cleansing your chicken digestive tracts of internal parasites, and many more.