Can anyone explain DE and what I should be using it for?

[todtrac]

I heard about using food Grade DE for controlling mites and insects, is this true? If not what is it used for and how to apply it?

Please advise
Todtrac

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

DE is a "mechanical" insecticide that kills by cutting and dehydrating the bugs.
It ONLY works when it's dry, and is NOT effective against INTERNAL parasites, no matter how many people say it is.

There is no benefit to feeding it to any animal.
The only reason it has a "Food Grade" rating is that it's used in grain to control insects and there is no way to remove it.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I gave some to a new rooster that I had purchased. The next day, he was shedding round worms. I've seen it work for internal parasites. I have a friend that started giving it to her dairy goats, same thing happened. AND she uses chemical dewormers. The worms must be building resistance to the wormers.

I don't have any luck with it for external parasites though.

 

[todtrac]

So should I put some in my feed and spread some throughout the coop?....

 

[chicknduck]

I do both. I even sprinkle it in the run on the ground and rake it in. I heard that could help with the chicken poo smell. I think it does. But I am no expert. Just thought I would tell you what I use it for.

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
I would disagree. I had a worm problem with my flock. After 1 month of adding DE to their feed, their fecal count of worms dropped to almost nothing.

There is no benefit to feeding it to any animal.
The only reason it has a "Food Grade" rating is that it's used in grain to control insects and there is no way to remove it.

That is incorrect. DE contains the following: Calcium, Magnesium, sodium, potasium, copper, zinc, iron, phosphorus, and selenium. When I asked my mill to include DE in my feed, the nutrtionalist at the mill reduced the amount of minerals I typically have included because of the minerals in DE.​

 

[chris deiss]

I use DE weekly and love it! I add 5% by weight to their food and sprinkle it in their coop and run. It does a great job drying up the crap and moisture . I had a chic that I got and it had mites and it killed them off .

 

[todtrac]

Quote:
The DE I bought is brown in color, said it is food grade. Is your brown?

I have a swimming pool and the DE i use for it is white, they say it is unsafe for chickens... is this true?

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I have food grade that is white. Never use the DE for your pool to feed livestock.

Quote:
The DE I bought is brown in color, said it is food grade. Is your brown?

I have a swimming pool and the DE i use for it is white, they say it is unsafe for chickens... is this true?

 

[OregonChickenGal]

Yes, DE used for pools is poison, use only food grade DE.