Amount of DE

[kuntrychick]

I'm still trying to find some DE...will check a few more places locally tomorrow, but will probably have to end up ordering online.

Anyway, I've seen posts that mention putting 2% of the weight of the food (if I read that right). I'm not quite sure I understand what that means. Does that mean in a 50# bag of food to put 1#of DE?

Do y'all put it in the whole bag of food like that or just in the feeder with the food?

I did read that it is also used to as an anti-caking agent in food and also to help food from going stale and moldy, so that's why I was wondering about treating the whole bag of food.

Anyway, on the link below, it tells suggested feeding amounts of DE for various animals and for chickens it says 5% instead of the 2% I've been seeing:
http://www.shadowridgedonkeys.com/perma_food_grade.htm

 

[briana1975]

On the bag of DE I have it says 2%. That is what I go by. I also had to order it. I have been ordering from Randall Burkey, but one of the local mills said they can start ordering it so my next bag I hope not to pay so much shipping on.

 

[cgmccary]

2% works out to about a teaspoon per cup. When I used DE, I used a "salad shaker" or one of those protein shakers (that you mix up protein powder in water)-- I'd put a heaping teaspoon of DE per cup of feed. I no longer waste my money on DE.

I've PM'd you more about my thoughts about DE (DE is all hype). In Alabama, we have a mite here, that if you get it, and DE will not prevent or kill it, it is resistant to most of the things touted to kill mites (sevin dust, "poultry dust," etc.) and it takes special effort to eradicate it.