Stall Dry, my new best friend...

[tvtaber]

I was in the feed store the other day, and asked about food grade DE (diatomaceous earth). The nice clerk said they had Stall Dry which is DE and clay in tiny pellets. I said that is not the same and he said it will work. Dubious, but willing to try it for under $8, I bought a bag. I sprinkle it every week or two on the wood shavings and my wet, poopy shavings have turned dry and sem to last forever (well I am going on a month with a very thin layer!). The flies are almost gone and I have barely used any of the 42 pounds of stall dry. I also sprinkle a tiny bit in the goat shed and there are no flies and the poop dries out pretty quickly.

I was cleaning the coop every third week and the goat shed every week, but now there seems no need! I sweep out the goat shed out of habit, but the coop flooring is just a dry mix of shavings. This stuff rocks!

 

[Opa]

I use deep pine shavings on my coop floor with DE and Stall Dri. Five months later the coop floor is perfectly dry and every surface in my work area is covered with dust. So moisture definitely is not a problem. You can get Stall Dri at Tractor Supply

 

[Lobee]

Hi guys, I just wanted you all to know I love DE! Best stuff. I have chickens dogs cats and I use it on everybody. I sprinkle it on my dogs and cats for fleas then I put it in the chicken coop bedding. I also put it in everyones food for a natural dewormer. This is my first time owning chickens this year. I raised them with DE. I havent had 1 sick chicken, not even with lice or any kind of parisite! So I am very happy with my motherhood. I cant say it got rid of the flies though. I had so many flies. My chickens are free range so when they come on the porch and poop, flies come from eveywhere and they all land on it. I cant believe how many flies can land on one dropping!

 

[nuts4chicks]

well, you're very welcome. It's the least I could do to contribute what little knowledge I have. Course I've been using DE since before I got into my chickens, so when it comes to the chickies themselves, I'm always the one with questions. And I attribute 95% of my sucess to those who post honest and thorough information here. One can only gain so much knowledge from a book; the rest is experience. So I rely heavily on the experience of the tried and true. So what I mean is don't thank me, Thank you!

I just wish I could have better internet access so this would be less time consuming. As I've stated before, I live in the stone ages. Dial-up is the only gosh darn thing available and it is SOOOOOOOOOOOO slow...

 

[Katy]

I use it all the time...especially when the weather is wet. Helps a lot!!

 

[steffpeck]

That sounds awesome!! I am going to have to see if I can find some here.

 

[Anny]

isn't it amazing!

 

[my first peepers]

They don't try to eat it? I have some DE that says it is safe for pet bedding and indoor use but I was worried about using it with the chickens because they eat everything...so Stall Dry is not foodgrade? I'm confused.

 

[tvtaber]

I don't know if they eat it or not, but the pellets are really tiny, more like sand really, and once they are in the litter they dissapear. Since it is DE and clay, I cannot imagine it would be any better or worse for them than the pebbled and other outdoor stuff they eat all day.

 

[trishok8]

DE is the best stuff in the world. I NEVER, EVER have flies. I too, use it in the coop and in the goat barn. It's great.