I finally found DE! So.. what should I do with it?

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: If that's the ONLY reason you want it , it might work, although Sevin Dust will do the same thing for less money.

Feeding it to the birds is pretty much pointless

With the right litter to keep things dry. flies won't be a big problem, and lime will control odors as well, if not better than, DE

 

[cravenchx]

Sand is better, dries quicker than dirt and doesnt run off when there is a downpour. It helps deter flies and other bugs. DE is useless when wet and disappears/dissolves if there's a downpour. A truckload of sand is cheaper than a 40-50# bag of DE.

I agree with dawg53.

I use in the coop, to sprinkle on the droppings. It does dry it
up, and I layer more straw, de, straw,de. It will also prevent flys
from overcoming the coop. It causes there little bodies to be
deformed, or something like that. Not exactly sure.
And....the reason I use straw in my coop is to benefit my
compost pile. Before anyone goes on to say I need to use sand.

 

[dawg53]

So what you're saying is that the DE laden straw is dumped into your compost pile, where the DE prevents/kills tiny little bugs and such from decomposing the straw. Correct? "Not exactly sure."

 

[galanie]

Hate to disagree any, but the wet DE isn't going to kill any bugs, not that you didn't know that. DE can help keep things dry, but only if they aren't that wet to begin with.

If your climate is as humid as mine is though, I'd return it. It'll soak up enough moisture just from the air once opened to remove any benefit it might have had. It's only a desiccant. That's it.

 

[dawg53]

Hate to disagree any, but the wet DE isn't going to kill any bugs, not that you didn't know that. DE can help keep things dry, but only if they aren't that wet to begin with.
If your climate is as humid as mine is though, I'd return it. It'll soak up enough moisture just from the air once opened to remove any benefit it might have had. It's only a desiccant. That's it.

Ditto.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: Actually, it cannot do that at all, and I AM "exactly sure

 

[Capvin]

I live in as humid a climate as the Houston area and I have found DE to be usefull and stays fine inside the coop.

 

[suebee]

Actually, it cannot do that at all, and I AM "exactly sure

It's silica that cuts into/penetrates the body and dehydrates and kills the insects.

 

[cravenchx]

It's silica that cuts into/penetrates the body and dehydrates and kills the insects.

Thank you!

 

[dinahmoe]

you are going to get alot of people that hate this stuff and some that swear by it.
i say since you already bought it ,use it and see how it works for you.you can dust the coop,inside and out and put some on their roost polls.just don't over do it as to where you or your chickens can't breathe.it doesn't take a lot to dust with it.
i don't see how it could work as a dewormer because it gets wet when swallowed.
if YOU have any trouble breathing,at all,don't use it.