Chicken poop as fertilizer

[keljonma]

Quote:
DE will kill good bugs like honey bees and lady bugs, as well as the bad.....

 

[suburban farm girl]

My apologies - I should have started a new thread with the question about DE and its effect on worms in composting and beneficial insects in the yard. Oh the challenges beginners bring !

BIG thank you's to all who shared their expertise despite my beginner's clumsiness ;0)

So after receiving what seemed like conflicting responses - one which said DE didn't effect the earth worms in their garden, and another which said it kills both good and bad insects - I did a google search and a little more research.

It turns out both are correct! (This site has wonderful info on DE: http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html )

Apparently, DE doesn't effect earth worms, so it is safe to use your DE treated coop stuff in your composting/garden. Mix it in well with the soil.

DE **DOES** kill both good and bad insects in the garden. Use caution and your good judgement before applying it straight onto your soil/plants.

Because of the HUGE non-chemical benefits of pest and odor control, we are going to use food grade DE with our chickens - and our dogs and cats !

Now I just have to figure out where to get it ;0)

 

[Oblio13]

Quote:
I was on the verge of ordering some off the net when I heard about a little backroads feed store operated out of some woman's barn. 50# sacks are $16 there.

 

[keljonma]

Make sure when purchasing diatomaceous earth (DE) locally that you ARE getting food grade.

The bag will say 'Food Chemical Codex Grade.' Food grade is white, 100% DE, no added ingredients, no inert ingredients.

A lot of people out there don't realize that there is a difference between Food Grade and the stuff used to filter swimming pools.

 

[d.k]

* Oh, yeah-- and make sure the ding-dongs at your feed store haven't had it stocked on a bottom shelf below 4 other shelves full of insecticides, herbicides and rat poisons. LIKE OURS DOES!!!! ~~

 

[pattee]

Ack I think I just dusted my chicken pen and coop with non food grade!!!! What shall I do?????

 

[d.k]

*Where did you get it and what is it called on the bag. (If it's not in a bag, that MAY be a giveaway all by itself.)

 

[pattee]

It's in a round container..
Says Prozap Garden and Poultry Dust Permethrin
Please don't tell my chicks will suffer!!!!!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
I do not believe that stuff has DE in it. It's an insecticide dust.

It shouldn't hurt your chickens. It's marketed as a dust for animals.

 

[Oblio13]

How much did you use?

Excerpted from Wikipedia:

"It is not known to harm most mammals or birds. It generally has a low mammalian toxicity and is poorly absorbed by skin... used to kill parasites on chickens and other poultry.... is rapidly inactivated by the body. Skin reactions have been uncommon... Permethrin is extremely toxic to fish. Extreme care must be taken when using products containing permethrin near water sources. Permethrin is also highly toxic to cats... permethrin is not a known carcinogen, but a few studies have lead the US EPA to classify the substance as a ... Possible human carcinogen... Carcinogenic action in nasal mucosal cells for inhalation exposure is suspected ..."