Apple Cider Vinegar

[dianer29]

wa wa ut a bit of minced garlic in cooked rice too but not close to egglaying time. I use the ACV in their water everyday and the DE is in their box that they take a dustbath in. Hey what island are you on ? I reside on The Big Island.Braggs is the best ACV!

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
(Sorry everyone for the deviation from ACV,,, but..... Kombucha is a very interesting and related topic.)
Spud1035,
My brother used to have a kombucha mother years ago. I may be interested in restarting with a fresh daughter. Thinking it would be good for the chickens and possible me too. May be interested if you ever have an extra daughter you would be willing to ship. (Me paying for packing and shipping of course.) I am on the fence if Kombucha tea will be good for my liver. Most say yes, but some research says no.??
ON

 

[wawafiveseven]

Quote:
I'm on Oahu ^_^V

 

[DKM]

Would someone please tell me what is DE?

 

[weedemnreap]

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is the remains of microscopic one-celled plants (phytoplankton) called diatoms that lived in the oceans and lakes that once covered the western part of the US and other parts of the world. These deposits are mined from underwater beds or from ancient dried lake bottoms thousands of years old. This means, diatomaceous earth has an unlimited shelf life provided you keep it dry.

Diatomaceous earth is mined, milled, and processed into a myriad of types for a large variety of uses. Filtering and filler are two main uses but diatomaceous earth also ends up in paints, cosmetics, drugs, chemical insecticides, etc. Because the milling produces different sized and shaped particles, it is important not to use the filtering type for agricultural purposes.

Pool filter grade diatomaceous earth has been heat and chemically treated and will poison an animal or human who ingests it, so it is always of utmost importance to only obtain food grade diatomaceous earth to use in and around your household.

Diatoms (DE) are the grass of the oceans and lakes. Just as grass is the staple food of earth animals. Diatoms (algae) are the food of the ocean or fresh water grazers. Magnified 7000x, diatomaceous earth looks like spiney honeycombs.

Food grade diatomaceous earth is EPA approved to be mixed with grains to control mealworms and other pests and has been exempted from tolerance requirements as an inert, inactive ingredient in chemical pesticides. Diatomaceous earth is EPA approved against indoor and outdoor crawling insects. Diatomaceous earth is USDA approved as an anti-caking agent for animal feed. Diatomaceous earth is FDA approved for internal and external use and has a rating of Food Chemical Codex Grade.

 

[Shoshana]

DKM: DE is (from Wikipedia) "Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid, as a mild abrasive, as a mechanical insecticide, as an absorbent for liquids, as cat litter..."

FOOD GRADE DE (NOT the stuff for pool filtration, which has been chemically treated) is a 'natural' alternative for providing PROPHYLACTIC (preventative) pest control in animals. It has the texture of a fine sand or powder and the hard "crystalline" edges cut into parasites/worms and mites/lice, causing these pests to dehydrate and die off. It can be added to feed and water, or animals can be dusted with it, as can walls and bedding in housing. Animals who injest it are also excreting it, so 'droppings' contain DE, which also purportedly help to reduce the fly population. When used in bedding, it helps to dry bedding out and thus keep down odor and pests which might use the bedding to breed.

I'm getting my first flock in a few months, so I've never used it in chickens, but my dog had a chronic flea problem we couldn't resolve and DE cleared it up in four weeks. I ordered a 10-lb bag off Amazon, but my feed store is going to start carrying it for me in 50-lb bags, which is nice of them and will save me a few bucks on S&H.

Here's a link I found really helpful:

http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html


ETA: IF you use this and your critters develop an obvious problem with worms, mites/lice, etc., it is IMPORTANT to treat with a proven solution (i.e. medication from Tractor Supply, etc.). DE is thought to be very useful in PREVENTING these problems, but is NOT A CURE.

 

[DKM]

Thank you so much for the very detailed answer.

 

[dianer29]

wa wa My son is getting his masters on Oahu. I love it there ,yet love the slower pace here too! What kind of chooks do you have?

 

[Rin]

I'm a bit confused on this topic as we have some sort of fly out here that's attracted to ACV. In fact, they suggest using it to trap and lure them to their death. They aren't exactly fruit flies as they are attracted to /anything/. Meat, dirty litter, anything that smells bad, even your face (as they pick up on the CO2 you exhale). But nothing attracts them more than ACV I've found. Regular vinegar does it too. I tried to clean my windows with vinegar water and they kept getting stuck to the glass (there weren't that many out at the time they were just THAT attracted to the stuff). I don't understand the fly preventive quality there I suppose is what I'm saying. Or if you have alternative suggestions as I just keep imagining a swarm of drowned flies in their water. XD

 

[wawafiveseven]

Quote:
I have 2 RIR pullets. How about you?