Eek! DE?

[Kit]

Somewhere else I saw a post by someone who uses 1 50 lb bag of DE per year - obviously not a heavy use - just a light sprinkle - I may reconsider, esp if it keeps mites down - but I will probably wear a mask when I use it. I can't imagine the small amounts described by this person would be any more harmful than the dust that's created by my pine shavings. Thanks all for some very knowledgeable comments.

 

[Donner]

perchie.girl :

Quote:
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.

To summarize. Breathing can be a problem if you are inhaling crystalline silica, that is what causes silicosis. Diatomaceous earth for pool filters has been heated to turn it crystalline. Don't inhale this. Ingesting crystalline silica is also generally harmless. What do you think the granite and sand in your chicken crop is made of? Not that I would try it, but unless there is something other than SO2 in pool filter DE, then it should be harmless if ingested. But, ingesting without inhaling the dust would probably be difficult.

Food grade diatomaceous earth has not been heated and is therefore amorphous silica and not a silicosis hazard. Of course inhaling a lot of any kind of dust over time can be a problem, but food grade DE is no worse than any other dust.​

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I have been using Perma-Guard DE (Food grade, also known as Fossil Flour) to dry out the coop. It works well and keeps the smell to a minimum. I do not dust with it - as with something that blows it around. I sprinkle it on the bedding and then turn the bedding over, so that no clouds of dust are created. I also sprinkle it in the cracks of the roosts, etc. to deter mites etc. It appears to be beneficial used in this way and I have had no health issues myself (I am a vocalist and am careful what I breathe in), nor have my birds.

 

[goatranch]

I mix DE and baking soda in a sprinkle jar ( I use an old parmasean cheese container). I keep it in the coop. I put on a mask and kick the girls outside. I just sprinkle it and put fresh bedding on top. I use the deep litter method. It reduces the moisture and seems to take away the ammonia odor. It is very important to use a mask. I inhaled some DE and got pretty sick. I tried adding the baking soda to help keep the dust down and it has helped. My coop floor is linoleum, so every few months I can clean completely. I did have a problem keeping odor down until I started this method.

 

[goatranch]

I forgot to say. We are in Nebraska and I had trouble finding DE. I BEGGED the feed store to order a bag. I even offered to pre-pay and I had it in 3 days. It was a 50# for 30 dollars.

 

[f8thnjc]

Quote:
Of course its intended to be eaten. People eat it every day as a dietary supplement. Silica is an important dietary need. It will not hurt your chickens and it will not hurt you. That is why its called "food grade". It is used in livestock feed to help control parasites. We give it to our dog for a wormer. Worms that are there before DE are gone after giving DE...not a coincidence. That said, most people that use DE with their chickens are not using it for digestion. It helps to control mites and lice, and also helps to dry things out. I think there are cheaper ways to keep your coop dry, but it works great for parasite control.

OP, I hope you do some research on DE, and take advice in this forum with a grain of salt.

 

[wren]

Okay last word I'm going to put in on this. Do the research yourself. Just be certain what grade of DE you are looking into.

Avoid Bone meal.

Um, HI Dawg!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Show SCIENTIFIC PROOF to back up your claims...DONT show what a SALESPERSON says!!!!!
Then I MIGHT throw you a bone.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Of course its intended to be eaten. People eat it every day as a dietary supplement. Silica is an important dietary need.

It's powdered ROCK
What possible benefits are there to eating it when all it does is pass through?

You can get the same benefit from eating sand at the beach, and it's free

OP, I hope you do some research on DE, and take advice in this forum with a grain of salt

On that, at least, we do agree. (and the salt is actually good for you, unlike DE)​

 

[galanie]

I do not think that taking DE is beneficial to myself or my chickens. However, I'm playing Devils Advocate here because I think it is important to question what we are told.

Quote:
It's powdered ROCK

Many minerals are powdered rock but yet are beneficial to your system.

What possible benefits are there to eating it when all it does is pass through?

Do you have proof that all it does is pass through or are you just trying to convince others of your point of view?

You can get the same benefit from eating sand at the beach, and it's free

OP, I hope you do some research on DE, and take advice in this forum with a grain of salt

On that, at least, we do agree. (and the salt is actually good for you, unlike DE)

I am willing to bet it is not "just like eating beach sand" even though both are supposedly Silica and nothing else. Silica may indeed be the main thing in rocks (sand, which is ground rocks - didn't I read somewhere that rocks have lots of minerals in them? So for whatever you and I know, eating sand could be better! Who knows?) but not the only thing.

And, depending on your personal body chemistry, salt may not good for you at all. In fact, it's been stated many times that we get all we need w/out adding any. Therefore, I also challenge this statement.​

Again, I do not believe DE is beneficial to our systems nor do I think it's beneficial to feed it to chickens. But I have yet to see any "scientific studies" that say it's not. Other than those that prove it does not kill any worms. I don't think it's appropriate to completely poo-poo anything condescendingly so and completely until proven otherwise.

It is always good to have an open mind. That applies to both sides of any argument.