help!! i have a problem with DE!!

[chickeneyfoot]

I bought 200 pounds of DE from this lady today who used it in her chickens she showed me how to sprinkle on feed ground and chickens. She just dusted them with it. She said she has been using it for years and never had problems. Being the dummy I am. I didn't check the label!! It says dicalite diatomite. And that's it!!! I don't know if its safe fp my girls???? Aghjhhhh help! Here's what it look like the bag. http://www.ebay.com:80/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180765935641&_trksid=p2992.m753


If she's been using it for a long time won't it be okay? Oh, and she has a chicken breeding and egg selling buisness. Thanks and plaease helpl

 

[chickeneyfoot]

Any1?

 

[Nic&Chickies]

It looks like Dicalite is a brand name, and I just did a quick search for diatomite, and it looks like that is just a synonym for diatomaceous earth, or DE. It seems like it's not harmful (not that I am any kind of DE expert-haven't gotten around to using it myself)
If you are really concerned, check back with the seller, and make sure that she used it the same way you plan to. I don't think you need to worry, though.

 

[chickeneyfoot]

I did. I actually saw her put it in the chickens feed on them in their coop etc.. thanks!

 

[Imp]

I am also no expert in the use of DE, but I googled Dicalite diatomaceous earth. It appears you might have the type of DE that is used for water filtration. Aka pool grade DE. You want food grade DE.

www.dicalite.com/basaltnatde-msds.pdf

As I said I am no expert in this subject since I do not use DE. I do buy Stall-dry(40% DE) as kitty litter and it is gray not white.

I would make sure you have the correct product before using it.

It is late and you may not get an answer tonight. Repost or bump this thread tomorrow when there are more people on.

Good luck,

Imp

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

I also tried looking up this product - I checked 3 different websites and don't see any mention of it being "Food Grade". I would not use that DE in your coop area or with your chickens, until you verify that purchased Food Grade DE and not the DE used in pool filters.

'Dicalite diatomaceous earth'

http://www.trainweb.org/mccloudrails/Miscellaneous/Dicalite.html

http://www.dicalite.com/filteraidproducts.html

http://www.dicalite-europe.com/diatom.htm



Edited to say: I must have been typing my message at the same time that Imp posted theirs - we basically said the same thing lol

 

[ScottyHOMEy]

The other items offered for sale on the ebay page are all for swimming pool maintenance supplies. If that was the source of your DE, I'll give you dollars to doughnuts it's NOT food grade, in which case it is not suitable for use on or around your birds.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

If it doesn't say "Food Grade" or "Amorphous" on the label, it's not safe to use

A Google search shows its FILTER grade:

http://www.dicalite.com/Diatom_filter_aid.htm

Diatomaceous earth is an amorphous form of silica containing a small amount of microcrystalline material.

Filter aids are processed at above 800 °C (1500 °F).

Both calcined and flux-calcined diatomite filter aids are free of organic matter and are non-adsorptive.​

 

[Midwest Lizabeth]

I use stall dry and wear a mask when I sprinkle the stall dry in the coops. I mix stall dry along with pine shavings and some powdered lime on the vinyl floors of my coops. Both lime & DE are silica. . . .the same thing that causes "black lung" in coal miners. Please, please read warning labels and follow them. Don't subject yourself to the dust. It seems to cut down on bugs and helps with smell in the coops. I'd use it and wouldn't worry about it being "food grade". . .that's just my 2cents. . .I do not dust my chickens with it. My belief is if it's bad for me to breath the dust, then it probably isn't good for my chickens.

 

[chickeneyfoot]

I mean, if a breeder used it for years.. then maybe its safe to use? That's what I think.