Bedding and DE

[2many2count]

Food Grade ONLY the other is deadly to animals its a poison. I have to say its for pest control, worms, helps with digestion, keeps water cleaner, and the list goes on. We even put in the feed to keep any form of weavels or other bugs getting in there plus the chickens get the benefit of help with digestion from it...and I wonder if it helps with egg shell strength but not found proof just my thoughts. I put it in my dogs food as well for some of the same reason plus when in blood stream after last year the fleas left and never returned

which made us all happy. As far as to control oder I don't think so and haven't seen it work for that personally. I put it in bedding as well. I put just a dash in the water when I fill the large water up and it helps keep the algae down in them...My son does this for his horse as well keeps him from scrubbing tanks every day or 2.

But I suggest go to ebay and get food grade....but a little goes a long way. As much I use it I got 50 lbs. and still have 2/3rds of it at least.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

Quote:
Here is the description of the wormer sold by McMurray Hatchery--note that the actual wormer is DE

PoultryGuard Wormer Plus Flax 2 lb pkg
Holistic Health Care examines the impact that disposition and environment have on your animals overall health. It differs from conventional care because it doesn't just treat symptoms, but rather seeks the underlying causes of an illness. The main wormer in WormGaurd is a more concentrated form of FDA approved Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth which consists of tiny phytoplankton's mainly composed of amorphous hydrated silicates, of less that 1%. This is packaged especially for poultry (with whole flax-does not need refrigeration)

 

[JustClucky]

Be careful of Ebayers. My mom used to work for a lady who Ebayed, too. She used to sell food grade DE and fill her bags with the stuff from the hardware store. Shady, shady, shady.

 

[BooBear]

I also use the foodgrade DE under roost area and sprinlke generously around the coop. It does help with odors.

 

[AlienChick]

It helps with odor by keeing things dry... not necessarily by eliminating odors.

Great stuff!

I also use Sweet PDZ; so I buy both, and use them interchangeably.

 

[6chick*start]

I know to use it sparingly as I have researched 100s of past DE posts to decide if I wanted to use it.
After reading all those 100s of post, now that I am ready, I forgot if you put it on the bare floor first.
We do get fleas and ticks here and a gazillion birds that surely have lice and mites so I am
taking precautions from the beginning.
I did see people post of adding to water and drinking it themselves. I didn't look into that but am now wondering ...
what in the world for?
Thanks all for the replies.

 

[Martha Jensen]

Sand box? Phooey! Every time I think I have it down, I learn something else. Do my girls need a sandbox in their coop? Something like a cat box with playsand in it? Help!!!

 

[6chick*start]

Sand box? Phooey! Every time I think I have it down, I learn something else. Do my girls need a sandbox in their coop? Something like a cat box with playsand in it? Help!!!

hahaha! I started my chicks out with a box of sand in the coop to set bowls of food and water on. I no longer do that as I don't feed and water in the coop.
I do have sand trays under the roost bars. Makes for easy peasy clean up.