Eek! DE?

[so lucky]

Regardless of whatever else you want to use it for, Food Grade DE works to dry out the chicken poo so it doesn't draw flies and doesn't stink. I use DE in the coop (should use a mask) and in the run after a rain. No problem with flies or odor.

 

[zookeeper15133]

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

Dawg, check this out.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=546502

 

[Mayberry Chicken Shack]

Can DE be used to kill fleas on dogs?

 

[dawg53]

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

Dawg, check this out.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=546502

Thank you for proving that DE does not kill worms nor mites!!!!
"BB hens treated with DE had significantly lower Capillary FEC, slight lower Eimeria FEC, fewer birds infected Heterakis, and significantly lower Heterakis worm burden than control BB."
How many eggs does one Capillary worm lay? Or one Heterakis worm lay? Tens of thousands each per worm. Not much DE effectiveness at all.
Do you know what Eimeria is? It is the protozoa cocci....now they are saying DE kills cocci?????? That's a bunch of nonsense. What's next? Bumblefoot? How about internal laying? Fowl pox or IBV? It's also proof that organics dont do the job that chemicals do to kill worms and mites!
Where is DE included in these proven wormers?
http://healthybirds.umd.edu/Disease/Deworming Birds.pdf
Where is DE in this proven list of coccidia killers?
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/coccidtable205.pdf
Additionally; here's proof that DE doesnt work as a wormer....posts 32 and 33:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=558531

 

[galanie]

Part of the abstract zookeeper linked states:

Additionally, BB hens consuming the DE diet laid larger eggs containing more albumen and yolk than hens consuming the control diet

This alone tells me that there could well be a benefit to feeding DE that we don't yet understand the particulars of. I am convinced that DE does not control internal parasites because there are too many studies that show it does not. There still could be another benefit though that hasn't been isolated. I'm unwilling to throw the baby out with the bath water just yet.​

 

[dawg53]

DE has no effect on on whether an egg is laid larger or smaller, more albumen nor more yolk.
ALBUMEN QUALITY
"Thinning of the albumen is a sign of quality loss. When a fresh egg is carefully broken out onto a smooth flat surface, the round yolk is in a central position surrounded by thick albumen. When a STALE egg is broken out, the yolk is flattened and often displaced to one side and the thick surrounding albumen has become thinner resulting in a LARGE area of albumen collasped and flattened to produce a wide arc of liquid."
Read YOLK QUALITY and COLOR. DE affects neither:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps020

 

[RedDrgn]

Food grade DE only, and yes, it does help with smells because it helps a lot with drying. As others have said, it's the wet poo that smells, and the longer it's wet, the worse the smell. Along that vein, make sure your coop has adequate ventilation, which will also help with the drying and reduce the odors.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
Your link doesn't mention DE. What I quoted said there was more yolk and albumen due to larger egg size, not what quality or color they were. This is apples to oranges. And besides, diet does indeed affect egg quality and color.

I know you have a lot more knowledge and experience with chickens than I do, but we should just agree to disagree here. I do not feed DE to my chickens as I don't think it will benefit them to do so. But I could be wrong. I just believe that it won't affect parasites is all. It could still have another positive effect if fed, I don't know. I simply am not convinced that it could not have any, I just don't see conclusive evidence that it does. There is no way though that I'd come on here and try to belittle someone that does believe it has positive effects by telling them that they "might as well feed beach sand."

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Your link doesn't mention DE. What I quoted said there was more yolk and albumen due to larger egg size, not what quality or color they were. This is apples to oranges. And besides, diet does indeed affect egg quality and color.

I know you have a lot more knowledge and experience with chickens than I do, but we should just agree to disagree here. I do not feed DE to my chickens as I don't think it will benefit them to do so. But I could be wrong. I just believe that it won't affect parasites is all. It could still have another positive effect if fed, I don't know. I simply am not convinced that it could not have any, I just don't see conclusive evidence that it does. There is no way though that I'd come on here and try to belittle someone that does believe it has positive effects by telling them that they "might as well feed beach sand."

You are correct, the link never mentions DE anywhere. I absolutely agree with you, diet does indeed affect egg quality and color. DE doesnt affect any of it, therefore it's not mentioned, that's the point.

 

[urbanfarmqueen]

I've been using food grade DE bought from a local hay & grain dealer for 3 years now on a small flock of layers. I've had no worm, lice or mite issues in an otherwise optimal climate for insects. I mix it into the feed, scratch, & coop. If I forget to mix it in the feed I get bugs in the metal cans of feed. It works wonders for bugs. I sprinkle it quick and diligently while I hold my breath, avoiding inhalation of the bulk of the dust. I do it while the girls are free ranging & out of the coop. I dust about 4 times a year in the coop and follow the 1lb per 50lb guide in the feed. I toss it in the can with the feed, cover the can and then roll it around to mix it up or sometimes I stir it with the opposite end of my rake. I've read that you can dust your dogs with it and or feed it to them as a wormer.