Diattomacious Earth

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ewaugaman

ewaugaman

Songster
7 Years
Sep 30, 2012
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OK, I was told about this Diattomacious Earth stuff that is suppose to be good for so many things and so many animals. has anyone used this?
can you feed it to dogs, cats, and caged house birds?

I live in Washington State, and if anyone is from here, I called Del's feed store in Auburn WA and they sell it for

50Pound bags for 23.99

thank you Edie
 
DE is an awesome natural pesticide that is great for preventing bug infestations. It works by pulling moisture out of insects exoskeletons. It is safe for living things to ingest. I use it in and around my coop. I mix a little into their food and also put it in their nesting material and in my run. It help to prevent lice and mites and I reduce the number of flies.

It does NOT prevent internal parasites. I feed it to them to make their poo less appealing to flies. Make sure that if you buy it you are buying the food grade kind and not the swimming pool kind. Also, it best to wear a mask when handling it. While it is fine to ingest into your tummy, you do not want to be breathing any fine powers into your lungs.

If you already have a bad mite/lice/bug problem, DE might not be strong enough. It is better for prevention.
 
ChickensRDinos said:
DE is an awesome natural pesticide that is great for preventing bug infestations. It works by pulling moisture out of insects exoskeletons. It is safe for living things to ingest. I use it in and around my coop. I mix a little into their food and also put it in their nesting material and in my run. It help to prevent lice and mites and I reduce the number of flies.

It does NOT prevent internal parasites. I feed it to them to make their poo less appealing to flies. Make sure that if you buy it you are buying the food grade kind and not the swimming pool kind. Also, it best to wear a mask when handling it. While it is fine to ingest into your tummy, you do not want to be breathing any fine powers into your lungs.

If you already have a bad mite/lice/bug problem, DE might not be strong enough. It is better for prevention.
Click to expand...
The reasons that your chicken poo less might be that they are dehydrated from the DE.
DE is a great absorbent and shows no favoritism, moister is moister to it.

Chris
 
no I don't think I have a mite problem, I was reading up to where you can put some in there nesting boxes for the winter as well, to keep things warmer, is that true? and I might give my dogs a spoon full in there breakfast in the morning. that is good for them too right?

thank you for your information. It really helps, and to know that someone is out there ready to answer you questions for you.

thanks so much, have a wonderful day, and a nice weekend.
Edie
D.gif
 
Definitely make sure it's Food Grade, DE. It's fine for ingestion but it can be dangerous if breathed in. If you're feeding it, I'd mix it with something wet first so the dry powder can't be inhaled by you or your critters.

We use DE for pest control...just a tablespoon or so in the coop and also in their dust bath. For moisture/odor control, we use Sweet PDZ...and it's totally awesome!
 
I haven't tried the DE yet, but I am going to, getting some to put in there nesting boxes, I heard it will keep there nesting boxes dry and a little warmer for them........ But thank you so much for your response, I don't think you can learn enough that is why I ask the questions.

thanks have a wonderful day, and a wonderful weekend.

Edie
frow.gif
 
Absolutely! You don't learn much if you don't ask :) Do make sure the girls and you don't inhale it...it can cause some serious lung issues and we sure don't want that!
 
Yes, it doesn't contribute to warmth directly but might keep the bedding slightly less damp. Amorphous Diatomaceous Earth absorbs ~4 times its wt. in water. It kills insects by adsorbing the lipids in the bug's chitinous exoskeleton (think of it as slow erosion and resulting desiccation). It is useful as a preventative to infestation but works too slowly to combat a well established population of ectoparasites. ADE (food grade) will be clearly marked with
3d2492f4_CMADElabel.jpeg
Crystalline diatomaceous earth (pool grade) can be composed of 20%, or more, crystalline silica. Pool grade DE - diatomaceous earth that has been calcined (heated to `glass' and then crushed into tiny shards) has been associated with silicosis in humans, ADE has not. ADE is considered GRAS - `generally regarded as safe' by the FDA (can be used indoors on and in food products). Bentonite, a clay often mixed with ADE, is also designated GRAS. Feeding ADE is probably of limited utility. It has been tried as a probiotic for poultry and did not perform well (seemed to limit nutrient uptake). It is useless against internal parasites. $23.99 is a good price for 50lb (just check for food grade codex label and the crystalline percentage). Some companies sell 2lb. bags of exactly the same thing for $8.95. We've had good luck mixing in small quantity into bedding, and adding to the wood ashes in the fire pit that is Dust Bath Central. Does suppress flies if the air isn't so humid that it is approaching saturation. Relatively benign, relatively effective and relatively cheap insecticide/desiccant
 
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You know it is funny I read a lot about this, and I love it, I spread some in the coop and it does keep the moisture out better then with out Diattomacious Earth. I put a lot under there roost, that is mostly where there poo is, it really keeps down the chicken coop smell. but one day I went out in the coop to collect eggs and I noticed my black hens were powdery white, I didn't think they dust in it, but they sure do and I am glad they do, it keeps down the mites if they have any, and I also put some in there nest boxes,
I have mixed some in there food as well, they seem happy and healthy, still getting about 4 eggs a day out of 5 hens, so I feel something is write........ Thank you for all the information I get from my Backyard Chickens.

Want to wish all my friends A WONDERFUL AND SAFE HOLIDAY TO ALL.

thanks Edie
 

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