The popularity of keeping chickens in the backyard, on a patch of land, or even on a larger acreage has enjoyed a real surge over the past decade, and now you can even use diatomaceous earth for chickens. With an ever growing awareness about healthy lifestyles and healthy eating, more and more people are realizing, that quite apart from being a fun and interesting hobby, keeping a small flock of chickens can make a world of difference to the way you care for the land and the animals around us. And the best way to live is with mindfulness of the world around us. What better way to look after the environment, by looking after some chickens in your own backyard, using diatomaceous earth for chickens.
You might even make some health changes to your lifestyle as well!
How to Get Started with Chickens
Keeping chickens in your backyard is a commitment, both in terms of time to care for your chickens, as well the financial requirement to house them and feed them adequately. Understanding the extent of the responsibility you’re taking on can make all the difference to the ultimate success of the project.
In terms of pets, chickens make the best pets ever! It is not all hard work – keeping chickens in your backyard is fun!
Chickens can look after themselves!
That’s right, if you are looking for a self reliant pet that does not take too much effort to look after, then chickens can make an ideal pet. Chickens can be completely domesticated, and are smart enough to return to the safe and secure roost every evening. That’s right – they even take themselves to bed at night!
As long as you give them a little breakfast in the morning, they will get very excited to see you each day! They will learn to follow you around the garden each day, and they will come to greet you whenever you appear, especially if you bring a handful of kitchen scraps when you come to visit them.
Diatomaceous Earth for Chickens
As long as they have regular food and water, and a safe and secure place to roost each night, your chickens will become extremely loyal and faithful little pets. If you care and have the time to train them, chickens can become very familiar and comfortable to be handled every day. In fact, pet chickens can be extremely affectionate pets and will come to appreciate your touching and handling them, as they will directly approach you for an affectionate stroke and a bit of a rub on their feathers.
Give chickens a treat
Chickens love to bathe in the dust and dirt, in order to keep their feathers and skin in top condition. Like I said, pet chickens can look after themselves, and if you offer them a nice bathe in Diatomaceous Earth, they will revel in the stuff!
In fact, just watching your pet chickens have a dust bath can be a treat in itself, as they flap, roll and try to dig themselves right underneath. If you or your children have never seen such a spectacle, then just try to contain your laughter at the chicken antics. Chickens can bring a huge amount of fun and laughter to your family.
Check out where to buy Diatomaceous Earth here at Amazon.
How to keep your pet chicken healthy with Diatomaceous Earth for Chickens
If you give the chicken coop a liberal coating of the stuff, all around the inside floor areas of the chicken house, as well as all around the floor of the run, not only will your pet chicken love it, but bugs and parasites will hate it!
Diatomaceous Earth is great value for money, because no matter when you spread it around, it will remain active, and just keeps on working. Whether for a dust bath for the chickens, or as an insect repellent, it is great value. As the dust is shaken down through the bedding material on the floor of the coop, it gathers in all the nooks and crevices where it acts as a bug repellent, even when you are not there.
Keep your pet chicken happy with Diatomaceous Earth for Chickens
Diatomaceous Earth can also have beneficial properties for other aspects of your chicken’s health. As discussed, when chickens enjoy a good dust bath, they are actually coating their feathers in fine dust particles, which helps keep them clean and draw, and free from bugs and crawly critters. Diatomaceous earth is excellent for eradicating bugs, fleas, chicken mites, and even bed bugs for humans!
Better than that, when chickens scratch around looking for food, they inevitably pick up bits and pieces of dirt, dust and grit, which aids in the digestion process. Because chickens don’t chew their food, the digestive process needs all the help it can get to crush and breakdown food as it passes through the gut. Consuming a little Diatomaceous Earth as they scratch around seems to assist in the digestion process, as well as adding valuable trace elements to the diet, which helps to keep the feathers glossy, and keeps the combs and wattles healthy.
Look after your pet chicken from top to bottom
Diatomaceous Earth is also great for providing a dry dusty floor space for your chicken coop. Chickens don’t like having their feet wet for prolonged periods of time, as this can cause severe problems for the exposed skin. However, they will not have a problem with water during the day, so long as they can find respite with a nice dry chicken coop floor, and a little Diatomaceous Earth to keep their feet healthy makes it even better.
Diatomaceous Earth for Chickens – better eggs!
Yes – one more thing that will benefit from a liberal dosing of Diatomaceous Earth is that you will be assured of delicious eggs, with strong solid egg shells.
Nothing is better than collecting your own fresh chicken eggs, and you can be assured that your happy chickens are laying you the best most delicious eggs because they are getting all the essential nutrients that they need in their diet. Better still, Diatomaceous Earth ensures that the shells are always strong because the natural minerals and elements are all provided through the natural intake from the food and Diatomaceous Earth that you have provided for your chickens.
One last tip: Precision Pet Excelsior Nesting Pads
These Nesting pads are ideal for providing your pet chicken with a cleaner and fresher nesting experience, which will help keep the eggs clean, and reduce the amount of dropping that collect around the nest. These Precision Pet Excelsior nesting pads will encourage your pet chicken to lay eggs in the same safe location, which makes it easier for you to collect your fresh eggs.
These nesting pads will fit inside most typical nesting boxes, or you can simply and easily cut the pad to the correct size. They are cleanable and re-usable, so they offer really good value for money.
Check out the Precision Pet Excelsior nesting pads out Amazon.
For more tips on how to keep chickens healthy and happy, be sure to read more at our blog – Pet Chicken!
