Diatomaceous Earth for Poultry

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
It is NOT the same DE that you use in your filtration systems. This is FOOD GRADE DE. There is a big difference.

However, you are correct about the "snake oil," touting of its use. It is a waste of money. Think about how sensitive the respiratory system of birds is. Breath in this junk for awhile can be disastrous. Maybe not immediately, but eventually.....

 

[centrarchid]

It is NOT the same DE that you use in your filtration systems. This is FOOD GRADE DE. There is a big difference.

However, you are correct about the "snake oil," touting of its use. It is a waste of money. Think about how sensitive the respiratory system of birds is. Breath in this junk for awhile can be disastrous. Maybe not immediately, but eventually.....

The DE I am using may be more similar to food grade than most types used for filtration since I am concerned about fines (the pulversized diatom skeletons repressenting bulk of impurities with potential of causing damage to lungs). It is not labelled as food grade but difference may very well be only in labelling as with many other materials that are labelled for use with animals are also used for markets where not used as such.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Hi! And thanks for the lovely welcome! This is such a great site, with so many interesting people to learn from!

The study that is in question is, in fact, an independent study that can also be found on the Poultry Science website (as this who published the study). If you go to the Poultry Science website and search for the keyword "diatomaceous earth" you will find this study along with many others that have been published by this international journal.

They published this study too:

In it they state, "DE had no effect
on the number of hens infected, FEC, or worm burdens. However, body
mass and egg production were greater in hens consuming the DE diets.
These hens also laid larger eggs with thicker shells. The results of this
study suggest that there is no evidence that DE is an effective treatment
to control gastrointestinal parasitic infections of free-range laying hens.
However, DE as a feed ingredient may maintain body mass, increase
egg production and improve egg quality in free range laying hens fed
an organic diet."

Don't fall for sales hype and waste money on a product that doesn't work, unless all you want it to do is kill some insects

 

[moetrout]

Think about how sensitive the respiratory system of birds is. Breath in this junk for awhile can be disastrous. Maybe not immediately, but eventually.....

When eventually? I've been using it regularly for 3 years. How long do you think it takes before my chickens will start flopping over dead?

I will add this for the OP, I use it to keep my coup dry. I do not use it to treat for worms. I've never had any worms. Maybe I am just lucky? Maybe the DE in the coup that I used to dry it out kept all of the parasites at bay? I'll suggest again, try it for yourself. Everyone's circumstances are different and unless your circumstances are exactly like in some study you read then the results can very well be much different. I have heard the argument of them breathing it in many times. I've yet to see any proof of that in my own use.

 

[dawg53]

When eventually? I've been using it regularly for 3 years. How long do you think it takes before my chickens will start flopping over dead?

I will add this for the OP, I use it to keep my coup dry. I do not use it to treat for worms. I've never had any worms. Maybe I am just lucky? Maybe the DE in the coup that I used to dry it out kept all of the parasites at bay? I'll suggest again, try it for yourself. Everyone's circumstances are different and unless your circumstances are exactly like in some study you read then the results can very well be much different. I have heard the argument of them breathing it in many times. I've yet to see any proof of that in my own use.

Keep breathing it in and you'll learn what it does to YOUR lungs, wear a mask. They dont make masks for chickens. Worm oocysts are in the soil, grass they eat and insects.

 

[galanie]

It is NOT the same DE that you use in your filtration systems. This is FOOD GRADE DE. There is a big difference.

However, you are correct about the "snake oil," touting of its use. It is a waste of money. Think about how sensitive the respiratory system of birds is. Breath in this junk for awhile can be disastrous. Maybe not immediately, but eventually.....

The DE I am using may be more similar to food grade than most types used for filtration since I am concerned about fines (the pulversized diatom skeletons repressenting bulk of impurities with potential of causing damage to lungs).  It is not labelled as food grade but difference may very well be only in labelling as with many other materials that are labelled for use with animals  are also used for markets where not used as such.

Anything not food grade is usually treated with heat which changes the structure of the diatoms. It is the heat treated DE that has the very sharp edges that they claim kills insects. Food grade has not been treated this way and under a microscope is fairly smooth in texture. It is the dessicant qualities of it that kills most insects, making it not too effective in killing internal ones. Breathing any dusty substance is not good for your lungs but the heat treated kind is particularly harmful. I'd never use any but Food Grade around my birds. Truthfully though, I don't use it at all. It's useful as a dessicant but our climate is so humid that unless kept absolutely airtight it loses it's dessicant quality much too fast to be useful after initial application. A waste of money.

 

[SAMnELLA]

I'm with Moetrout. I tried it because I found lice on my 2 hens that someone gave me. I bought red earth food grade DE and powdered them with it in the am. Later, when I called the person who gave them to me (same day) we looked and couldn't find any lice. I think I saw one but it was dead, so there ya go. I am following up with a permethrin dust though, just to make sure they are gone. I don't think DE gets rid of everything but I know it took care of the lice. Thank God I only have 2 hens to start with. I can't imagine having a large flock and have an outbreak of lice ! Still battling the sticktight fleas. Yeah, they have them also. I don't think there are any new ones, but can't seem to get them off. I also think with anything dusty, you have to be careful not to breathe it in.