Sick from diatomaceous earth.. need advice ASAP!

[chickens really]

I fully agree that DE is terrible....I would never use it around any of my animals or myself included......

I use wood ash from our fire pit and wood stoves...I mix it with sand....

Never beat yourself up over making bad decisions...We all learn as we go....

Good luck....

 

[polish hen]

Sorry if I came across as sounding harsh...I truly meant no harm and I know you feel badly...what I'm trying to say is people don't realise it's bad for there birds because there getting the wrong information about DE when it really should have no place in poultry keeping, and yes we all want safe and "organic" ways of dealing with external pest but in reality thease things just DONT work at all and many people lose there beloved pets because of it...

 

[Lynn Manes]

DE is TERRIBLE stuff!, and is extreamly dangerous for birds and people's resperatory tracts!, it is soo upsetting that this false info on how it's beneficial ect can end up causing heartship like this...it does apsolutley NOTHING to treat mites and lice and acts like a poison when inhaled buy anyone because of its razor like microscopic particles that literally cut the lung tissue!!. I really hope that this isint what's wrong with your girl but honestly I whould take her to the vet so they can have a listen and she how her lungs are functioning, hopefully she recuperates and dosent sustain permanent damage. I caint stress enough just how dangerous and useless this stuff is and just wish people whould realise this too and stop using it...

I is DE in my chicken &quails dust baths and I sprinkle it into the sraw in the hickens nest boxes. I also sprinkle it on the ground of my duck pen. BUT...I use it very, very sparingly. Just to tell you how little I use-I've had one small bag of DE for two years and it will definitely last me til year 3 rolls around next Spring. It takes so little to do a good job to keep mites out without harming yourself or your birds.

 

[robdog]

Heck I used to feed my chickens DE when I used to get a 55 gal barrel of corn i would mix it into the barrel to its 3-5% of its entire feed and mix it around well and they eat it just fine. I also use DE as a introducing way to make sure no diseases (IDk i know it doesn't affect diseases but its a safety) but to also help with mites when introducing new chickens/poultry as sort of a protocol. I used it in their bedding and coop but i only add it by a duster sprayer and only when they are out foraging. DE is also great for bug control. Ant won't climb over it.
IDK I haven't lost any chickens so far and yet I have about a 4 year old silkie still laying and going strong with me along with a few year old bantams.

 

[Connie Chase]

Indeed... No need to preach to the choir.

I had used it many times in the past with no problems. I had been buying a coarse version of it that was less dusty. This last DE was different. It was labeled as "super fine" and was more dusty. I should have had better judgement and not used it at all. I do feel guilty enough, i don't need any comments to make me feel worse. We all make mistakes. I won't be using it anymore, but when mites and lice happen something needs to be done. I will use the garden and poultry product instead next time.

Thankfully, what I'm doing now is working well and she seems better today.
Thank you to all who took time to share advice, have a good rest of your weekend.

Hi, I don't know how old this post is or if I could still get a response. But I have a hen that isn't doing well. The vet was here and said she had pneumonia, but today it occurred to me that she might have breathed. DE when I dusted them, I remember getting more on her than I intended to. What became of your chicken... Did she recover? The vet put mine on antibiotics and she perked up for a bit but now she seems to be going backwards. I don't know if she can recover?