Is this the right DE? **pic**

[Glenda L Heywood]

DE is used in all grains as preventing moths from laying their eggs for the worms to get into grains. Costing gran growers and storage places a lot of money. So DE is very valuble there

Also is the caustic agent in all tooth pastes
and cereal companies do not get the DE out of the grains when making cereal
here are some facts on how DE is useful
the other kind would say pool grade as it is used in swimming pools

Diatomaceous Earth (food grade) is
fossils out of dried sea beds a lot of it comes from the west coast
you will find it is a very good thing to get the weavils out of feed
it knicks the outer skin of only soft shelled worms or any soft shelled pest
this is actually how it works
the birds or animals are wormed by chemical wormer
to get the wor larvea out of the blood cells of the animal or fowl
that it is then wormed that way

now if you feed 2% De to the daily amount of feed your birds will eat the DE and then the gut of the bird passes the DE thru and it rids the bird or animal of adult worms (lving and eating the feed nutrients from the host)
and in the process the diadems of De knick the soft shell of the worms and they die fro dehydration. and the dead woms are absorbed into the animal or poultry's body as proteins
thus yoiu have a better bird or animal

The chemicals are really what do harm to the body of the host chicken or animals as it destroys gut flora and requires more worming

where as DE will pass on out of the body daily and be ready to go in the next feeding of the fowl or animal

The fact thast I have heard you all object to is the Honey Bees which are in decline
There is a lot of pests atacking honey bee hives
We had a very active honey bee farm with 10 out yards from 1955 to 1983 we had 750 colonies of bees
here is what happens to bees now days if they see DE piled out they take it for pollen
this time of year as they queen is making baby bees and the bees load up on DE and then take it to the hive and it knicks the soft skin of the bees and they die

so that is why people feel DE is bad for bees

Bees need 100,000 bees at all time plus more to run a active honey gathering hive in june thru august
thus the hives of Bee's are in danger when gathering pollen

But bee's do not get on chicken feed or manurea

I liked it because the flies that light on chicken manure or animal manure are also knicked and die

my answer to that was Hydrate Lime gotten from the lumber yard (not cement finishers lime) comes in 50 lb bag and
as well as usinf DE I always tell people to wear a mask when filling their cans with the lime or DE
not to use it in a wind storm

So every one can make up their own mind

 

[NancyDz]

Quote:
I've been using DE for a few years.. have had no problems. If you are throwing it around and walking around in a big cloud of it.. yea it may hurt you but it would take a LOT of exposure to it like that to do some damage. If you are worried, apply it wet and not on windy days. And always wear a mask .. I apply it wet in my yard and sprinkle it in my chicken coop dry.
I havent heard of any deaths of lung abrasion for the backyard chicken user..

 

[TXmom]

I'm trying to find the best place to buy DE. I can order it online from Wolf Creek Ranch, but the shipping is $25 for 50 lbs. My local feed store has some DE, but I'm pretty sure it's not food grade...my hubby found it in the pesticide area so I told him not to buy it. Can anyone tell me a specific store to look in?

 

[Slywoody]

Quote:
TXmom,

I'd go check out the DE @ your local feed store. I can't imagine a feed store having pool grade DE. Read what it says on the bag. If it says food grade or is for animals, livestock,etc. It's the right stuff. In a way it is a pesticide, ya know. I got mine from my local feed store for 21.95 plus tax. Hope this helps.

 

[NancyDz]

The stuff in your feed store may be food grade, it should say it on it. It is often found in organic gardening stores so to find it in the pesticide area is not unlikely. I buy it at my food store. Just check the bag, if it doesnt say, ask or call the manufacturer and ask them.


Nancy

 

[lindseythefork]

it says for use in feed and has a picture of a chicken on it, so i'd say it's good.

 

[Turtle]

Quote:
dont breath it in if you can help it and do not touch your eyes after you handle it until you wash your hands. It takes a fair amount of exposer for it to cause serious damage but you do have to be careful with it. O and yes what you have is food grade

 

[cmom]

I have been using FOOD GRADE DE for years. A 50# bag last me a long time. It is the same consistancy as corn starch. The last bag my DH ordered online but I couldn't find the site he ordered from.