Diamataceous earth drying stones?

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Susan Skylark

Susan Skylark

Songster
Apr 9, 2024
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Midwestern US
So I’ve been puzzling over the ‘wet spot’ in my quail pens, namely right beneath the water bottle where they spill a few drops every time they sip. The bedding in the rest of the pen will last a month (stir occasionally and add fresh as needed) but the soggy stuff needs to be switched out thrice a week or so. Since I can’t afford (or personally engineer) a tiny drainage system I’ve been brainstorming more realistic ideas. How about one of those drying stones (made of diamataceous earth) for dishes, pet bowls, bath mats, soap dispensers etc? I’ve never used one but in theory they might help keep things drier without encouraging bacterial growth (would have to wipe down a couple times a week but already changing saturated bedding so not a big deal). Anybody have experience with the things (in other settings, this is sort of a novel situation) and would this be a feasible idea? Thanks!
 
How about filling a small plastic dish with pea gravel and putting the water bottle on top of it? It's basically a drainage system, but would be super simple and cheap.

I've never tried a DE stone, so I have no idea how that would work.
 
I thought of that but then I’d just have bedding/poop clogging my rocky drainage system, think baby quail water dish, ugh! This is sort of like that just a solid surface and micro pores (too small for solids to penetrate).
 
Susan Skylark said:
I thought of that but then I’d just have bedding/poop clogging my rocky drainage system, think baby quail water dish, ugh! This is sort of like that just a solid surface and micro pores (too small for solids to penetrate).
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I was thinking that you'd be able to get away with washing it out at the same time as you cleaned the rest of their pen.

If you do try the DE stones, let us know how they work and provide a link to them if they work well.
 
Nabiki said:
I was thinking that you'd be able to get away with washing it out at the same time as you cleaned the rest of their pen.

If you do try the DE stones, let us know how they work and provide a link to them if they work well.
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I will! The problem is that fecal material can build up between the stones, it stays wet and bacteria breed and it gets stinky even if cleaning it regularly. The bedding at least soaks up the water (to a point) limiting bacterial growth and smell. I need something that will absorb water but also dry out fairly efficiently without nooks and crannies to catch moist organic material.
 
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Got the drying stones the other day, they are really nice under a bottle with only an occasional drip but soon get overwhelmed by the worst ones. I’m exploring an alternative chicken Waterer nipple that will hopefully leak less…the saga continues!
 

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