Quote:
No, you don't have to use
Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth, it is purely a personal preference, as several members have stated.
I choose to use it as I spent alot of time reading about it before I got back into chickens in 2007, and to me, it is less harmful as opposed to other things that I could be using.
I've been using it around our 2 acres only where and when it is needed and in moderation. I wish that those that are so against it would provide a link/links for the information that they've read that has turned them against it, as I've provided links in my BYC Food Grade DE page (linked above in light blue) as to why I am for it. I am not a sales person for it but I'm not shy of about posting why I use it if someone asks about it, either
I add 1 cup of food grade DE to every 50 pound bag of feed that we buy to keep the feed free of bugs.
I dust it atleast once a week or bi-weekly, weather depending, in our coops, runs and under the rabbit hutches to keep the smell down, poo dried up and flies at bay.
We have major ant problems, indoors and outdoors. I dust it strategically inside and out (I do walk the yard and heavily dust any anthills that I find close to our home, they can have the rest of the yard)...and the ant problem isn't anywhere near what it used to be in or around our trailer.
My chickens have never been plagued with mites, lice, fleas or worms since I've been using food grade DE but our landlady can't get rid of any of these problems (turned her on to food grade DE, she's in her late 80's and would rather stick with her "old school" methods.).
DE is basically small, "diatoms/algae". Aquatic alga is kind of like lawn grass or field grass (for those not into aqariums). I can't count the number of times I've been cut by grass blades, either green or dried. It's the same with diatoms/alga that food grade DE is made of.
I have done DE in water for a
whitewash in our coops on the roosts and when the water evaporates, you are left with DE behind just like there was never water added in the first place. I can post pictures of this experiment but is it really evidence? To me, yes, to others, probably not. (Will post those experiment pix later today, haven't found them yet but I know I've got them).
Not done with this post yet but it's late and my eyes and hands are tired.
To be continued....
Dawn