Dust to Dust

The Pros & Cons of Diatomaceous Earth on the Farm

Today, August 31st, is National Diatomaceous Earth Day—which might not make Hallmark’s list, but here on the farm it’s worth talking about.

DE is also one of those very argumentative topics in the chicken keeper and farm world. Ask three different people their opinion on it, and you’ll probably get five different answers. Some swear by it, some won’t touch it, and most of us fall somewhere in between.

Diatomaceous earth (or DE, if you don’t feel like tripping over the syllables) is one of those farm-and-homestead “miracle powders” you’ll hear praised in every feed store aisle. Made from fossilized diatoms—tiny ancient algae with sharp little skeletons—it looks like flour, but under a microscope it’s basically shards of glass. That unique structure makes it powerful… and tricky.

✅ Pros of Using DE on the Farm

• Natural pest control: DE scratches up insect exoskeletons and dries them out. Fleas, mites, bed bugs, ants, and even slugs don’t stand a chance.
• Coop helper: A sprinkle in chicken bedding or dust baths helps keep mites and lice in check.
• Moisture control: Absorbs dampness and odors, making barn life a little less funky.
• Garden barrier: Works as a line of defense around tender plants against soft-bodied pests.
• Affordable & long-lasting: A little goes a long way, and it doesn’t “expire.”

⚠️ Cons of Using DE

• Kills good bugs too: Bees, butterflies, ladybugs—pollinators and beneficial insects—are just as vulnerable as pests.
• Dust danger: Inhalation can irritate lungs (animal and human alike). Best to apply carefully and wear a mask.
• Water woes: DE in ponds, creeks, or wetlands harms aquatic insects, crustaceans, and even delicate amphibians. Our local blue crawfish would NOT thank us.
• Ineffective when wet: Rain washes away its effectiveness, meaning constant reapplication.
• Mess factor: Indoors, it can get everywhere and lose its usefulness fast.

Here at Drunken Duck Farm & Mallards Landing Sanctuary, we keep DE in the toolkit—but it’s not the first thing we grab.

• We’ll use it outdoors only.
• We steer clear of flowers and pollinators.
• And we absolutely keep it far, far away from our creek and its thriving banks of blue crawfish, who deserve their own holiday.

For us, DE is a backup player, not the star of the show. Nature has plenty of gentler fixes, and we’d rather preserve the balance of bugs, bees, and blue-clawed friends.

✨ Quack thought of the day: Not every “miracle cure” on the farm is really a cure-all. Sometimes the best medicine is restraint.

💬 What about you? What’s your opinion of DE? Do you use it often, swear it off completely, or only bring it out for special circumstances? Share in the comments—we’d love to hear your take!