Antibiotics and Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth

[devildogmrk]

I have been told that really all I need to ensure the health of my hens and the humans surrounding them is to use Duramiacin and Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (both internally in small amounts in the feed and spread on the bedding). I certainly used antibiotics on my calves when I did cattle, but everyone makes such a big deal now-a-days about antibiotics and chickens. They constantly quote me passages on how virus/bacteria become antibiotic resistant because they are used even when a chicken is not sick.

And I certainly know the benefits of Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth due to the fact that my mother (who studied and graduated with a Masters Degree in Horticulture) always stated the benefits of using it to keep all sorts of bugs/pests away. But then I read that using it internally on dogs, cats, chickens, and so on to kill "worms" and even stated that it also does things like increase appetite and increase absorbtion.

I have always been careful not to use "preventative" measures sparringly but with most people thinking chickens are "dirty" animals I feel like I should do more to "ensure" people my chickens are "safe". But I do not want to over-do it either. So I have mixed feelings about this particular topic...

Devildogmrk
(Its a U.S. Marine thing)

 

[sheila3935]

I have used Duramycin on a sick rooster with a sinus infection and worked wonderfully. Dont think I would use as a perventative. I use DE in my coop all the time. There are alot of mixed feelings on here about DE use so you will probably get alot of different views. I say whatever works for you do it. As for chickens being "dirty" to me they are no more so than any other animal or alot of people

When I first started with chickens I thought my neighbor and I were the rare ones as we live in the city limits but since I started working at the farm store have realized that more people than I thought raise chickens. You will get lots of different opinions on raising chickens.