DE...What exactly is it?

[madelynbelle]

I have seen lots of posts saying they use Food Grade DE in coops mixed in with shavings. What exactly is it and where do you get it. Do you feed it to your chickens too? We put our coop close to the house and I want to keep any smells down but would like to use the deep litter method so I thought this would be the way to go

 

[LynneP]

Here are some discussion threads that should answer all your questions!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/se...&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=diatomaceous+earth&sa=Search

I use food-grade DE in bedding and I'm pleased with it. Not only that but I have no problem insects crossing the run or doorway inside! I apply it with a measuring cup inside each doorway including the pop door and around the perimeter of the run. Excellent stuff...and a bag lasts me a year. I get mine at our local co-op where the feedmaster uses it at 5% by weight to keep the feed free of insect hatchings. So, I don't add it to food.

 

[patandchickens]

The best way to minimize smells is to have a dry well-ventilated coop, managed in a reasonably sanitary way (e.g. have droppings boards under roosts and scrape the poo off every morning to dispose of in compost pile); and have run that is engineered/managed to be as dry and well-drained as possible. Basically what gives ya smells are poo, mud and lingering dampness

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[fernandez0067]

I use it in and around my coop and run and it definitley helps with and odors and dampness. I put a little bit it in their yogurt every once and a while as a wormer. When my mini donkeys got lice I started using it in the coops and dusting them off from time to time as a preventative. Google it, theres tons of info on it.

You have to make sure its "food grade" though, the Codex brand will be white and it will say it right on the bag. Red Lake Earth makes it too but they add some volcanic ash to it which makes the color ashy. Its the same stuff though, the Red Lake Earth is much cheaper. I found it at my local Agway. Im sure you can buy it online.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

also I would go and buy agriculture limestone and use it in the runs of the birds
this ag limestone is not harmful to chickens it is actually good for them as calcium is in it
put
2 tbsp of apple cider vioneager to per gallon of water at least three days a week and it makes the chickens body use the calcium and vit D better