Not all natural products will be helpful and beneficial to your chickens but some will. Some products seem similar and you may be wondering if they can be used interchangeably.
This article looks at using lime vs diatomaceous earth for chickens.
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Lime vs diatomaceous earth for chickens:
Many natural products are recommended for chickens, some will be beneficial and some won’t. There is a lot of information going around, and because of this, it can be hard to figure out which products to use in, on, and around your birds.
Below are the benefits of using both lime and diatomaceous earth for your chickens:
Lime:
Absorbs smell and moisture:
Lime can be used to reduce moisture and odor in your chicken coop. Moisture and bad odors will accumulate in your chicken coop if your birds poop in the coop all day.
If sprinkled in your chicken coop, the lime will kill the bacteria that cause your bird’s poop to stink.
When using this product, make sure that your chicken coop is clean before applying a light coating of lime across the floor. Apply a layer of shavings over the lime.
Keeps pests away:
Using lime in your chicken coop will not only help get rid of odors and moisture in the coop but it will also repel any pests that may be present in your chicken coop.
Lime repels insects like ticks, small hive beetles, termites fleas, mites, and ants.
Warning about lime:
There are different types of lime available and not all are good to use around your chickens or around any other animal.
Real lime, called masons lime or hydrated lime, should not be used around animals, chickens included. This lime will cause chemical burns on the bird’s skin, can cause dermatitis, and is caustic.
You can use agricultural lime, also called barn lime, around your bird and in its coop.
Diatomaceous earth:
Keeps parasites at bay:
You can spread diatomaceous earth in your chicken coop as a way of keeping the coop mite, lice, and parasite free.
When this powder is poured on insects, the sharp edges of the earth cut up the insect’s exoskeleton which causes the insects to dry out and die. Your chickens are safe from this as the birds are too large for the earth to harm them in any way.
Can be fed as a supplement:
Diatomaceous earth is used as a human supplement and it can be used as a supplement for your chickens as well.
Adding this powder to your chicken’s food will deliver trace minerals to the bird as well as silica which is helpful for bone mineralization.
Birds who eat this will also lay larger eggs that contain more albumen and yolk.
Warning about diatomaceous earth:
Diatomaceous earth is safe for humans and for chickens to use but it can create a lot of dust when used in the coop. Keep a mask on when using it in the coop to keep from inhaling the dust if you’re worried about dust.
This product is a fine powder, and just like any fine powder if inhaled it can irritate your nasal passages and cause you to cough.
If you’re planning on using diatomaceous earth for your birds make sure that you use food grade and not pool grade diatomaceous earth.
Pool-grade diatomaceous earth contains crystalline silica which is linked to an increased risk of lung cancer.
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