Hi!
So...
I kind of did not know where to post that...
...I noticed (some) Americans seem to like using chemical products to heal their chickens...
am I wrong...?
But elsewhere in the world, we don't have always access to these chemical products... and when we do, they can be ridiculously
expensive for what they are...
Thus, naturally, a lot of us tend then to use natural products to help our animals... Could probably even tell it's cultural in certain places, you know...? That's to the extend that, if we could freely choose between natural products and chemical products, some generally would naturally be more interested by the natural ones...
And obviously, these ones would use what they
know would work.
(They would not be more stupid than others just because they used natural treatments - rather than chemical ones - for their animals... right?)
So...
I don't know... look to me like some people -
I think "some Americans", but certainly others too? - are skeptical to the efficacy of the products some of us use with success?
...And I wonder why?
Is it because chemical treatments are more accessible to them, and so they did not even
try the natural ones?
Or would it be because these people
did try the natural ones, but really did not have
any success by using them...?
...
My post here would, in fact, be exclusively concerning food grade Diatomaceous Earth : I just don't understand
how a product in which
I am so satisfied with could have its efficacy be considered as a myth by some people...?
To explain myself...
I use regurlaly
food grade Diatomaceous Earth for my chickens and my ducks, and I have personally
always had been satisfied with that.
I am used to rub Diatomaceous Earth on and
in the feathers of my chickens, so I can get rid of lice/mites.
I always have 100% success rate by doing that : each time I put DE on my chickens, they don't have lice/mites anymore!
But I also put Diatomaceous Earth in my chickens and ducks food... (Always in PLASTIC feeders, since I don't know if it's dangerous or not to put DE in metal feeders.)
Indeed, I noticed I have had no more worms in my chickens droppings since I put DE in their food! That's a fact...
Also, Diatomaceous Earth seems to be good for my birds general health : since my birds have it mixed in their feed, the hens lay eggs with harder (to break) eggshells, and don't even lay small eggs or eggs without eggshell anymore... So, we could tell they just are
healthier...?
...Actually, I could even (barely) save a DYING rooster's life after using DE...
The day I brought him home, at the beginning of July, this rooster was literally
dying.
He was a 3-years-old Orpington, but he was so skinny and
light I was pretty sure I would find him dead the next morning... It was really painful to see him like that. Also to
hear him : he had a very plaintive voice - like he was
whining, you know...?
But still, I tried to help him.
First : I took him in my shower to wash him with "Savon Noir" and warm water, in order to see if I could find quickly what his problem was...
And I really found it : when I dried him next with the hair dryer, a lots of lice/mites had fallen on the floor!
Some was dead, some was still alive...
Thus, second : I took time to look carefully at his feathers, and
I discovered the BIGGEST lice/mites infestation I had ever seen in my life!
I did not even know if I could really save him, since he has much too difficulties to walk and to carry his own weight...
But I tried
at least.
So, third : once he was dry, I took him in his run (isolated from my other birds), and I put a lot of - really an excessively lot of - Diatomaceous Earth on him. (I kind of panicked, so I just prefered to put more DE than needed rather than not enough...)
I put goggles and masks on, and I rubbed all of his feathers with DE.
Trying to avoid his eyes of course...!!
I also thought to cover the
ground in the run with Diatomaceous Earth...
Next, I put Cade Oil on his legs... In prevention against
scaly leg mites, but also because lice/mites HATES the smell of Cade Oil. So, I thought it could only help with the infestation!
In addition... I also mixed Diatomaceous Earth in his food (I gave him Premium Mix to make him want to eat), in case he would have had worms/parasites, but also because DE is renowned good for health.
And I also put Apple Cider Vinegar in his water (in a plastic waterer), in order to boost his immune system.
...In spite of that,
he was so weakened he became blind before the night.
I'm pretty sure he also became deaf, since he did not respond to my voice or to
whatever sound anymore...
...Because of that, I really thought he was
lost, so I just left him alone for the night, without even putting him in the coop : I thought if he was dying, he would prefer to die in the run than in the coop...?
Since he was blind and all...
But the next day, the rooster was still alive and could walk again!!
When I noticed he had also begun to see and hear again, I was really surprised :
I did not know a blind bird could regain sight like that!
He could also drink and eat, but less than what I wanted him to... So, I gave him some melon and watermelon to keep him hydrated and to make him want to eat more...
...The next day (so the third day), I did not put Apple Cider Vinegar in his water : instead, I put Olive Oil.
But the next days...? I did not put
anything in his water!
And
then :
step by step, day by day, he was getting better! Could walk freely, took some weight... Even his
voice was sounding healthier!
(Even though he would/could not crow.)
Before that, he was dying of lice/mite infestations!!
And of course, after some days - once he was sufficiently healthy looking - I put Diatomaceous Earth on him again... just in case the lice/mites eggs hatched...
View attachment 3702307
When I gave him back to his owner, he was heavier, healthy again, and looked a lot of more happy!
(His owner was impressed... He was also happy I told him his rooster had lice/mites infestation, because he could then treat his place and his birds against lice/mites...)
...So...
With this kind of experience, I can not understand why people would say the efficacy of food grade Diatomaceous Earth is a myth...?
I mean... I personally always had a 100% success rate with its use? I get rid of lice/mites infestations only by using this product...
I am so satisfied with DE I also now use it in my ducklings' food.
Because I noticed the ducklings that I mixed Diatomaceous Earth in the feed from the first weeks of their life are more... healthy?
I mean... for my first ducklings ever : I had 6 eggs that hatched, and only 4 ducklings that survived.
One of the ducklings was sadly accidentaly crushed by his mama-hen, but the other was clearly not crushed : I just found him dead a morning... He was 2-3-weeks-old... Looked like he has a stroke, but since there was a big storm then... maybe he died of fright?
But fact is : all my next ducklings have been being feed with Diatomaceous Earth mixed in their food since they were 3-weeks-old (even though some of the ducklings were on the bigger side, and so, had access to their mama-hen "DE mixed pellets" before they were 3-weeks-old)... and they seem just more energetic, healthy looking, vertical (they are runner ducks) than their older siblings...
And thanksfully, I did not have even
one duckling dying among these ones... even the
smallest of them!
...Would it be just a coincidence? (I really don't know, but I would at least think DE to be good for their growth...? Could, maybe, prevent Niacin deficiency...?)
...
I won't decide who is right or who is wrong about the efficacy of DE...
I just have my experiences with it. It's worth what it's worth...
But since I'm
personally so satisfied with food grade Diatomaceous Earth, I just... would like to know
why some people just say it doesn't work...?
I'm really just
curious... There are to be a reason, right?
And specifically :
why exactly do some people tell DE is not a dewormer?
After all, there are testimonies of people using DE to deworm themselves,
with success if they are not lying... right?
(...If you have experience with DE and the product worked for your birds, please tell and give details.
I would be especially interested by testimonies of people who mix Diatomaceous Earth to their chicks or ducklings food. Do feeding them DE make any difference in their growth and/or in their health...?
...Thank you!)
