Need help finding DE for fly control

[chickengramma]

Sorry about that -- I didn't realize that this forum started w/ the oldest comments first or I'd have realized ya all tried feed stores.
Has anyone tried calling Perma-Guard (505-243-1460 - email - [email protected] as per their website) and asking for the names of who they ship to in FL? They'll ship it to you directly but it's more expensive than finding it at a retailer they supply -- at least for me it was. Oddly, I'm in So Cal area & the feed store orders theirs from a Northern CA supplier who gets it from Perma Guard in NM........ and it was still cheap, considering all the hands who touched it & gas prices.

I bought 50 pounds because one website said to use it at 100% for their dusting boxes -- well, my girls will walk through the soft & silky stuff but they won't lay down in it. Anyone have any experience w/ what ratio the girls will accept for dusting themselves?

 

[titan307]

new guy here. i guess i am lucky i work for a chemical manufacturer and we have tons and tons of this stuff, that we have to use in our processes to make the chemicals we provide. almost all of our chemicals we make are food grade. we have the food grade and the pool filter type. i am just now getting into chickens and did not know about using DE for chicken purposes already knew about gardens and flowers. thats why sometimes we have "spills" and the employees get to take it home because it has been contaminated.

 

[JamieandShady]

i get mine at a gardening store. just make sure its food grade. the one i buy doesn't say food grade on the bag but it is actually food grade (locally packaged)

 

[edbama2]

Quote:
I have to thank you for that link! I found a store that is about 20 miles away from me and plan to go tommorrow. Either way the cost will well be under those shipping charges of the online stores. Thank You! Ed

 

[edbama2]

Quote:
Any contaminated bags for members of BYC? LOL!

 

[joanm]

I found 85% DE at a nursery (I called) she said it didn't say food grade - is it supposed to say food grade?

 

[MissPrissy]

If it is not food grade it is poison. Do not use the pool grade DE either. It is poison.

Only use food grade DE. The bags often are labled 'codex grade fossil shell flour'.

I get mine from dirtworks.net.

http://www.dirtworks.net/Diatomaceous-Earth.html

It costs me $23 for FedEx shipping. I haven't found anyone here in my area of Va. that even knows what DE is or how to use it. It can be very frustrating to say the least.

Edited to add - sometimes they have broken bags (call to check) they will sell at a discount. If you are not mixing it in the feed it is perfectly fine to use to dust nests, boxes, runs, even the animals themselves.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
This is what the stuff from Lowe's says. It's the Safer brand. The bag states that is OMRI Listed (Organic Materials Review Institute)

Active Ingredients:
Silicon Dioxide from Diamtomaceous Earth 77.69%
Other Ingredients 22.31%

So, can we use it or not?

 

[Jsto]

Quote:
Ohhh, you're a doll!! There's a retailer just a hop away! I was thinking I'd have to order and pay a ridiculous amount. Thank you SO much for that site

 

[Slim]

Quote:
Only food grade DE should be used. The only way I know how to tell is that food-grade DE carries the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's rating "Food Chemical Codex Grade."

I'm sure some DE may be food grade isn't marked as such for a variaty of reasons. But the only way I know to tell for sure is by looking for the food grade designation on the bag.

I know that many people suggest using pool filter DE for organic slug and bug control in the garden, so that may be what is in the bag at Lowes.

-Slim