An interesting article on DE (DIATOMACEOUS EARTH)

[GopherBoyFarms]

if my food grade DE is the most dangerous thing I come in contact with I consider myself lucky (or really sheltered)
Personally....I am really glad we use it....and I think the chickens and the cats are too!

~Tiff~

 

[aiwetir]

Quote:
see now that's a helpful bunch of links

 

[2chickenrich]

we were using 7 dust around the dog food bowls to keep fire ants away it did work since we found out about DE back in august we started using it instead and it works just as good at half the price of 7 and i think much safer we put it on the sand in the coop and in the nest boxes i use perma-guard food grade de the place i buy it from told me they always keep it in stock because they mix it with the feeds that they grind happy chickens and dogs no bugs i will just use the de nothing is harmless just lesser of two evils or three if you can live with the bugs

 

[spatcher]

Perma-Guard Food Grade DE (fossil shell flour) is the purest on the market @ less than 1/2 of 1% crystalline silica. (Perma-Guard also held the original patent until it expired years ago) I am sure you have already eaten DE as it is contained in breakfast cereals, flours and other products such as bisquick. Since it is added before milling as an anti-caking agent, it is not required to be added to the list of ingredients. Additionally, I read an article a ways back, that it was used as a substitute for flour during the great depression. For the best info regarding DE, see www.freshwaterorganics.com/what_is_de.htm

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I am going to put the first paragraph of the last Poster in my BYC pages. I know everyone on this site is curious as to just what DE really is. As far as using the product, I just wish i knew where to get it locally. I will not pay for shipping, I hate UPS and FED EX and the USPS is the only way I will go. Unfortunately, most people want to ship UPS and FED EX, I amd guessing they make a boat load of money because they skim the shipping costs.

 

[cmom]

I use Food Grade DE in my coop litter, poop pit, in the run and where they dust bathe. I have never had any health issues with my birds. I had one die but it was sick when I got it and I isolated it and cared for it and a preditor got another. I have a friend who is a vet. She comes out every once in awhile and checks my birds.

 

[BeardedChick]

My chickens don't have worms.

Mahonri, how do you know they don't have worms?

 

[Chick_a_dee]

IDK.

Until something conclusive comes around, I'm sticking to the DE.

THOUGH, I have to say I don't find it as effective as Stable Boy when it comes to absorption, but I use it just to kill any parasites lurking in my bedding before putting down some extra.

I worm my chickens with pumpkin and other natural wormers.