Consolidated Kansas

[Ralph Moyer]

Hello all! I have been lurking for days since I first found this thread. I am a newbie and just got a new shed that we are turning into a chicken/turkey/goose house. I am planning on using pine shavings as my litter and have heard that it is a good idea to sprinkle some food grade DE in it. I went to Orschlen's and saw a bag of DE in with their chicken stuff so I bought it. I am confused now because it does not say "food grade" or "feed grade". It is Manna Pro Pure DEfense. According to other posts on here it appears that I should not use this in my chicken house. I guess that I will have to return this and look for another brand somewhere else. I was wondering when you all get your food grade DE at? I can find it online but the shipping is horrible.

Thanks for any advice. When I get my feathered friends all settled in I plan to visit and chat often but right now they are just keeping me too busy.

DE that is labeled food or feed grade is what you want to use. Do not use the DE that is used in swimming pool filters. It has other chemicals that are toxic.

 

[Ralph Moyer]

DE that is labeled food or feed grade is what you want to use. Do not use the DE that is used in swimming pool filters. It has other chemicals that are toxic. Read the label and it should say what it is recommended for.

 

[Trish44]

Lizzy my ducks and geese always love being out in the rain. It's like the very best play day for them. I don't shut them up at night either. They lay under the yard light and eat bugs for a few hours then go lay down in their pen later.I figure they are getting good nutrition and keeping the bug population down as well.
I finally got my DNA test kits yesterday. Now I need to find some time to get the specimens collected. I need to get it done in the next day or two cause DH goes back to work.
Looks like I have at least most of my chicks spoken for now. I may have just a few left. I just hope people show up for them as scheduled. I have a batch of guineas I will have to start selling soon as well.
I didn't seem to accomplish a thing yesterday. I worked too hard the day before and my hands and my back just wouldn't let me get anything done. I have to do some baking today and get some stuff ready to go to town for a garage sell at my parent's old house. I had planned to have lots ready but haven't found the time. So I am just taking in some furniture cause that is all I have time for. It would be nice to get some of it sold though.
I just don't want to have to bring it back home.
I have a family get together tomorrow and then another one here next Saturday. And it looks like my brother will be here next weekend as well so that means more time to spend elsewhere. We've been waiting for months for him to come. I have to find time to meet with the family because we are going to be deciding what to do with my Mom and Dad's things. I don't like the idea of going through them with Dad still alive but we are trying to sell the house so it has to be done.

Danz, we had to do that when my DH's mom went to the nursing home because they were going to rent out her house, so all the siblings came one weekend & went through the house & cleaned it out. Some things just had to be trashed because she was somewhat of a hoarder & there were some things they put in storage for now. It was hard for all of them to have to do that, so I empathize with you. I was only there to be a helper. You just have to do what you have to do sometimes, even if it's hard.

So, since Drama is now a roo (quick gender change there!) - how do I find a good home for him? Craigslist? For free? Do I charge $15, more or less, for him? If I charge, am I more likely to find someone that will keep/raise him instead of eating him? If I do free, more people would be interested.... I think I'm a bit attached to that bird.

I agree with Danz, it's hard to find homes for extra roosters because unless someone has lost one & needs a replacement or one for breeding you can't hardly even give them away, even if they're pure bred.

Hello all! I have been lurking for days since I first found this thread. I am a newbie and just got a new shed that we are turning into a chicken/turkey/goose house. I am planning on using pine shavings as my litter and have heard that it is a good idea to sprinkle some food grade DE in it. I went to Orschlen's and saw a bag of DE in with their chicken stuff so I bought it. I am confused now because it does not say "food grade" or "feed grade". It is Manna Pro Pure DEfense. According to other posts on here it appears that I should not use this in my chicken house. I guess that I will have to return this and look for another brand somewhere else. I was wondering when you all get your food grade DE at? I can find it online but the shipping is horrible.

Thanks for any advice. When I get my feathered friends all settled in I plan to visit and chat often but right now they are just keeping me too busy.

Welcome, feel free to come back & chat any time. I have always bought my DE on eBay, but I have heard some people say they have it at places like Tractor Supply, so you might just call around. I don't know what part of the state you're in or what stores you have close by, but you may just have to check & see what you can find. This is who I buy mine from & shipping is not bad: http://diatomaceousearth.net/product/10lbs-diatomaceous-earth#.UfrOr6zT2Jo. I buy the 10 pound box at a time & it lasts a really long time.

 

[dwink2]

Thanks Ralph. I can not find where it says food grade but it does talk about using it around animals and on pet bedding. It does not say anything about swimming pools. The ingredients are: Silicon Dioxide, from Diatinaceous Earth 85%, Other Element Oxides, 10%, and Moisture, 5%.

Where do you get yours from and what is the brand?

thanks again.

 

[dwink2]

Thanks Trish, I will have to check the seller out. I live in the north central part of the state in a really rural area. Ebay sounds like a good option for me.

 

[HEChicken]

dwink2, I wouldn't stress over it too much. I did find a bag of food grade DE at Tractor Supply a couple of years ago but I still have most of the bag left - I just so rarely use it for anything. I'm not sure what the benefit of adding it to the bedding would be, but I've never done that. Before you run out and get it, you may want to spend some time online googling DE (Diatomaceous Earth) itself. After I did that, I was less convinced of the actual benefit of using it, which is why I rarely do. I don't think it hurts anything, so you can't go wrong - I'm just not as convinced as most people that it helps either. I certainly would not rely on it for mites or lice. For that I use Sevin Dust sprinkled liberally on the roosts and in the nest boxes as a preventative and you can sprinkle it directly on the bird itself if you know you have a problem. And it certainly doesn't do anything for internal parasites since it is inactive when wet, so there isn't anything to be gained by putting it in feed either. A lot of people do that and it doesn't hurt anything to ingest it (and may provide some nutritional benefit in the form of minerals) but again, its not something I've ever bothered with. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence and "old wives tales" type of myths to DE, but when you start looking for actual scientific data, the results are far more mixed.

 

[Frizzled Pink]

Dwink,

I get food grade DE at our local co-op

 

[sharol]

I looked up Manna Pro Pure DEfense to It has other "calcium" so I probably wouldn't use it for the chickens. If you are near Topeka, the only place I found true food grade de was at Premier Farm and Home supply. They are way out south just off of SW Topeka (on the west side). They have 50 lb bags of the stuff (or did the last time I checked) for around $30.


Quote:

Hello all! I have been lurking for days since I first found this thread. I am a newbie and just got a new shed that we are turning into a chicken/turkey/goose house. I am planning on using pine shavings as my litter and have heard that it is a good idea to sprinkle some food grade DE in it. I went to Orschlen's and saw a bag of DE in with their chicken stuff so I bought it. I am confused now because it does not say "food grade" or "feed grade". It is Manna Pro Pure DEfense. According to other posts on here it appears that I should not use this in my chicken house. I guess that I will have to return this and look for another brand somewhere else. I was wondering when you all get your food grade DE at? I can find it online but the shipping is horrible.

Thanks for any advice. When I get my feathered friends all settled in I plan to visit and chat often but right now they are just keeping me too busy.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

I lost my one and only rooster not too long ago - assuming to a coyote (I have been seeing them around a lot for the past few weeks when he and some other girls went missing.) I'm on the lookout for a nice rooster if anyone knows anyone giving one away. I am in Winfield. He'll have his own flock of lonely girls to enjoy! Also, my chickens free range and are not locked up except at night.

 

[chicken danz]

Well day 3 in a row of the crested legbar laying i guess all the eggs are comming from her any one have some thoughts on this?

Maybe the other one hasn't gotten over her move break yet?? I have had a couple hens as long as you have had them and still no eggs from them yet.

Hello all! I have been lurking for days since I first found this thread. I am a newbie and just got a new shed that we are turning into a chicken/turkey/goose house. I am planning on using pine shavings as my litter and have heard that it is a good idea to sprinkle some food grade DE in it. I went to Orschlen's and saw a bag of DE in with their chicken stuff so I bought it. I am confused now because it does not say "food grade" or "feed grade". It is Manna Pro Pure DEfense. According to other posts on here it appears that I should not use this in my chicken house. I guess that I will have to return this and look for another brand somewhere else. I was wondering when you all get your food grade DE at? I can find it online but the shipping is horrible.

Thanks for any advice. When I get my feathered friends all settled in I plan to visit and chat often but right now they are just keeping me too busy.

I would probably return that and try to find other. I buy mine in 50 pound bags at a farm supply store in Topeka. You could call around to local co-ops and feed stores to see what they carry. I can buy a 50 pound bag for under $30 as opposed to a one gallon jug for $10 at another place. I guess a lot depends on how much you plan to use.
So do you have your chickens yet? When and if so what do you plan to have?
Welcome to our group and feel free to ask questions or tell us about yourself. No reason to wait until the birds are settled in. We are all willing to give help and advice and sometimes it's easier to have solutions before you encounter problems.

Wow it was miserable hot out today. So humid! I feel like I've been dragging 50 lb weights around on each leg today.
I sold some of my lavenders and have someone coming for lemons in an hour so so. Maybe with luck I'll have the excess out of the brooder before the weekend is over.
I got a few things gathered to take to town for a garage sale Saturday. I didn't want a bunch of stuff to price and haul back home if it doesn't sell. Wish I could have one out here but no one would ever travel out here to one.
I think I am going to try to sell a few peachicks. I need to make some more room.
I came up with another plan for a place to build another pen today. I hope I can manage to do it. It would be in almost total shade and convenient to the other pens. If I can figure out how to cope with a slope I will put my turkeys there instead of where they are right now. Like I need more projects!!