Adding DE to chicken feed?

[Browniethechicken]

Dry DE can cause respiratory issues. Just don't use it. Thank you for asking, that's how we learn. Welcome to chickening!

Thank you!! What dewormer do you use, if any?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you!! What dewormer do you use, if any?

I don't. One day I will take in a fecal sample to get a float test done, probably in the spring. Most worms and worm eggs are not visible to the naked eye, with the possible exception of tapeworms. By getting a float test done, microscopic evidence will tell me exactly what kind, if any, worms I should treat for. I will not give my chickens poison just on general principles, because they "might" have worms. When I know what to treat, or if or when, then I will use the appropriate treatment.

 

[Sissyhen]

I am curious if other chicken people add DE (Diatomaceous Earth) to their chicken feed. I would like to start to do this as a preventive for worms and general health. What is the ratio of DE to feed? I saw a video that recommends mixing 1 cup of DE and 5 pounds of ADULT feed and to do this once a month. If you use DE, how much and how often do you use it? Does DE work for you and is it effective?

I use DE as our all animal dewormer, serve it wet with the food for intestinal parasites. For the cat and dog we use coconut oil and DE in the dry food for one week seasonally, visible results.
For chickens, as needed, water not oil, and if they eat crumbles you might could put it in dry. I would kind of calculate about 1 tsp between 4 birds daily if the feed is 3oz each. Not sure what that comes to for your flock, and it ain’t scientific.

For those who say it doesn’t work:
Have you tried it?
I have tried it and watched my animals expell dead worms after use. Not at any other time.

For those who say it doesn’t work wet:
That’s if you are using it on insect exoskeletons which thankfully worms don’t have. External use dry, internal use wet.

Enjoy the cheap, easy, and effective all natural DE dewormer *bows out*

 

[Browniethechicken]

I use DE as our all animal dewormer, serve it wet with the food for intestinal parasites. For the cat and dog we use coconut oil and DE in the dry food for one week seasonally, visible results.
For chickens, as needed, water not oil, and if they eat crumbles you might could put it in dry. I would kind of calculate about 1 tsp between 4 birds daily if the feed is 3oz each. Not sure what that comes to for your flock, and it ain’t scientific.

For those who say it doesn’t work:
Have you tried it?
I have tried it and watched my animals expell dead worms after use. Not at any other time.

For those who say it doesn’t work wet:
That’s if you are using it on insect exoskeletons which thankfully worms don’t have. External use dry, internal use wet.

Enjoy the cheap, easy, and effective all natural DE dewormer *bows out*

Thanks for sharing your experience!!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I am a researcher by trade, and I have read so many peer-reviewed articles and studies about DE because folks' opinions vary so widely. From most of what I've read, I gather that DE is largely ineffective. I'm not going to count it out, but I'd rather go with what I know will work.

I wormed my chickens once using fenbendazole after performing a fecal float. It eradicated their infestation. I do my own fecal floats, but that time, I had my avian vet do one, too, just to make sure I was reading the slides correctly. I was pretty close. I did a follow up fecal float after treatment was complete, and I saw the results.

As for prophylactic measures, proper husbandry goes a long way. Cleaning and disinfecting feeders/waterers, changing bedding regularly, keeping rodents and wild birds at bay, etc. Just my two cents.

 

[Browniethechicken]

I am a researcher by trade, and I have read so many peer-reviewed articles and studies about DE because folks' opinions vary so widely. From most of what I've read, I gather that DE is largely ineffective. I'm not going to count it out, but I'd rather go with what I know will work.

I wormed my chickens once using fenbendazole after performing a fecal float. It eradicated their infestation. I do my own fecal floats, but that time, I had my avian vet do one, too, just to make sure I was reading the slides correctly. I was pretty close. I did a follow up fecal float after treatment was complete, and I saw the results.

As for prophylactic measures, proper husbandry goes a long way. Cleaning and disinfecting feeders/waterers, changing bedding regularly, keeping rodents and wild birds at bay, etc. Just my two cents.

Aunt Angus, your two cents are greatly appreciated and valued! Cleanliness and care are major components and I’m glad you brought that up. Thanks for helping a newbie!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Aunt Angus, your two cents are greatly appreciated and valued! Cleanliness and care are major components and I’m glad you brought that up. Thanks for helping a newbie!

You're not THAT new, Brownie. Give yourself some credit!

 

[Brooks_]

DE can be effective at killing bugs in the feed. That would be my only use for DE and chickens.

 

[Desertguardian]

Does DE work as a dewormer in other ways? Any other suggestions that have worked for you instead

My friend told me not to feed DE to chickens although I see other people do it regularly online. She didn't really explain but some video she watched told her it can harm them. Very confusing. Although I use it near aunt hills to get rid of ants and it works (i always use the food grade incase my dogs accidently ingest when they scope the yard), I think I might use it around the chicken pen to keep bugs away but not near where the chicken's can get it. I heard it will keep some other bugs away, including mites, as well but don't know details. So confusing because I always see other videos that say the food grade is safe for chickens in small amounts. I'm not going to chance it for now.

 

[Debbie292d]

I am curious if other chicken people add DE (Diatomaceous Earth) to their chicken feed. I would like to start to do this as a preventive for worms and general health. What is the ratio of DE to feed? I saw a video that recommends mixing 1 cup of DE and 5 pounds of ADULT feed and to do this once a month. If you use DE, how much and how often do you use it? Does DE work for you and is it effective?

We have used DE for years on the pelleted coop floor, in the nest boxes, perches, around the coop and around the house (for ants) and on a couple of houseplants, but a sprinkle in the food wasn't for the chickens, it was to kill any bugs in the feed, and then seal the feed in an airtight bin.
Case in point, the feed for our macaw parrots. If we don't DE it, we'll have moths coming out of our ears. That has been a fact proven here over two decades. I've since been freezing it overnight, but can't do that with a 40# bag of chicken feed. For them, I just mix in about 1/2 cup per 30#.

I have no idea if it's ever helped anything inside the chicken or parrots, but I have my druthers because it would become moist, and it doesn't work when it's moist, or at least not as well.

One thing I read for keeping worms at bay was red pepper flakes mixed in their food, so I mix some into their ferment. It doesn't kill worms, but supposedly makes their innards unpleasant for worms, so they won't reproduce inside the chicken and expel themselves. I do not know if this is all true or not, but I do it as I have 3 jars of red pepper flakes for some reason, and it's a good way to use it up. If it works, great; if it doesn't, who cares.

Just be sure you're using the food grade DE and don't throw it in the air and you won't have any problems.