Eek! DE?

[dawg53]

Quote:
If it'll hurt humans, it'll hurt chickens. DE is an inhalation hazard per the CDC and NIOSH who are charged with health and worker safety. It can cause silicosis as you stated.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0552.pdf

 

[lowry075]

I would discontinue using it for your birds.

 

[Kit]

what is the difference between food grade DE and the stuff for pools - would the non-food grade be ok for mixing with the litter - or are the chickens likely to ingest it in their scratching and pecking - does it have chemicals in it? Thanks

 

[Kit]

Just read Dawg's response - I know a lot of people have used DE for other animals, mixed it with their feed for parasite control, etc - but he brings up a good point - I plan on using the deep litter method in my coop, which I have read mixes DE with the shavings - but then I'd be inhaling the silica when I turn it over - and so will the chickies - so I think I'll skip the DE - I did read someone else who puts in in the bottom of their nesting boxes, to help prevent mites - that sounds like a good idea to me - it wouldn't be getting stirred up like it would in the litter.

 

[wren]

Quote:
(Once more with feeling.) Food grade is safe. To expand a little it's safe for chickens, cows, humans ect. No ifs ands or buts. The non food grade stuff is dangerous no ifs ands or buts. Neither types will do anything to improve the bad smells from chicken manure that I can think of. I have used food grade DE for years. The difference between the two is that one is safe and the other is not. The food grade DE is such a small particle that it can only harm insects. It does not harm animals that eat it, roll in it, inhale it ect. For chickens food grade DE is a non chemical way to kill mites.

 

[dawg53]

DE was originally given the designation "food grade" by the government because DE was mixed with grains in storage bins to help keep it dry and as an insecticide. That's where the term "food grade" came from. It was never intended to be eaten, only used as a drying agent/insecticide.
DE is ineffective when wet, until it dries. It is not a worm preventative nor a wormer. It is wet inside chickens innards, as all mammals, including humans, therefore it is ineffective.
DE can kill insects as a drying agent. It has never been proven to do anything else.
DE is 90% silica, the most common mineral in the earth's crust. There is nothing nutritional about DE, it is indigestable, It cannot benefit the body in any way and there's no scientific evidence to prove it.
DE is hyped for sales purposes.
If you decide to purchase it for what it is intended to do; help keep coops dry, a preventative for lice/mites, keeping feed dry from moisture...then you've gotten your money's worth. Anything else is a waste of time and money with this product.
For safety reasons regarding INHALING DE... I refer this link again: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0552.pdf

 

[perchie.girl]

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i also use Rice hulls with DE - and its fabulous!!!! Nooo stinky in my coop.

Oh this is good to know I love Rice hulls for the horse and dont want to have to buy two kinds of bedding. Love its no pack down character.

 

[perchie.girl]

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The pool grade is heated up to create sharper cilica in order for it to be more efficient at filtering down to 2 microns. Food grade is simply cleaned after it is mined.

Here is a few links that might give more info.

http://www.arbico-organics.com/product/DE-Diatomaceous-Earth-50lb

this one talks about the differences between the two
http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html

In otherwords Food grade is good for chickens people dogs horses .... etc.

Pool Grade is dangerous and should only be used for filtering pools.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I am at risk of starting a discussion here but.... This spec sheet is referring to standards by OSHA within a Quarry and with workers exposed during an eight hour shift....

Food grade only means there is nothing in it that will hurt you if you happen to eat it. Same goes for Mineral oil... Or Charcoal or Clay. All have benefits in some manner when injested.

 

[dawg53]

perchie.girl :

Quote:
I am at risk of starting a discussion here but.... This spec sheet is referring to standards by OSHA within a Quarry and with workers exposed during an eight hour shift....

Food grade only means there is nothing in it that will hurt you if you happen to eat it. Same goes for Mineral oil... Or Charcoal or Clay. All have benefits in some manner when injested.

So says the salesman if you want to believe them. There is nothing beneficial injesting sand, if you want to eat sand, go for it. The others you mention have nothing to do with DE.
Additionally, your website "wolfcreek" states that DE kills internal worms. Roundworms are up to 3 inches in length, about the same size as earthworms. Yet DE wont kill earthworms???????? As a matter of fact it states that earthworms carry the DE through the soil!!!!! Think about it. It is misinformation. Again, it's what the salesman wants you to believe to make you a sale.​