Who uses DE(diatomaceous earth)

[Northwest_Wannabe]

It can be dangerous to use? :0

 

[Asm610]

I add DE to my feed... its a mix of corn, oats,sunflowers and flax to help prevent caking....its food grade DE..not the regular stuff. I mix a full barrell of feed at once 1/3 at a time till its full.it doesnt require a whole lot of DE, but Its good for the birds anyway. It seems to affect egshell strength in a positive way by helping them absorb more calcium and it supposedly reduces parasitic load...wont prevent worms, but may help keep your flock a bit healthier. I also feed my birds yogurt, garlic,cayenne lots of greens and mealworms, pumpkin seeds and any dandelion they dont find themselves as well as rose petals. In general, a balanced natural healthy diet, with lots of fresh water. One vat is straight H2O....the other has ACV and Grated garlic raw in it!

 

[Stephanie8806]

I think the “danger” factor comes from the idea that it could irritate or damage their delicate respiratory system.

I put it in my coop, sprinkle it down before I add the pellets/shavings. I don’t go crazy with it, and the benefits are worth it to me. I haven’t noticed any signs of irritation in my chickens. I also sprinkle it on our poop board after I clean it, between wood ash and Sweet PDZ stall refresher.

I think, if you’ve been using it for that long and your chickens are fine, you’re doing just fine.

 

[Folly's place]

So three reasons to not use it:
It's dangerous for anyone, including humans, to inhale, and lung damage is cumulative.
It's ineffective for many uses mentioned on internet sites, including this one.
It's open pit mined, awful.
Mary

 

[Stephanie8806]

So three reasons to not use it:
It's dangerous for anyone, including humans, to inhale, and lung damage is cumulative.
It's ineffective for many uses mentioned on internet sites, including this one.
It's open pit mined, awful.
Mary

Do you have any scientific studies or resources that prove that its ineffective for things like moisture and odor control, and insect control? All the literature that I have seen claims the opposite.

 

[JaeG]

I found red mites living quite happily in DE in my coop. I had a good amount of it in the bottom of my nestboxes under the nesting material, thinking it would protect them from mites. I couldn't find any dead ones in it, only very alive, creepy crawlies. That was the last time I wasted my money buying it. I've just found the same thing with sulfur powder. It would seem unless it is dusted all over them, once it settles and is no longer airborne/dusty it doesn't deter, let alone kill, the awful critters in the least.

It is useful if you find grain mites in your feed as it does kill them (but I'd be taking the bag back as grain mites deplete the nutrients in the feed). It's also added to feed as an anticaking agent.

It's very effective if you put it on slugs or snails, though salt would do the same thing and is cheaper.

It's ineffective as a wormer - studies have shown it to be ineffective for this use.

 

[MykaMom]

I know a lot of people out there believe that it is dangerous to use
DE but, I have been using it for over a 1 and a half.
I would like to invite all DE users to talk and share information
or anyone thinking about using DE.
PLEASE be helpful and appropriate
All information is welcome.

I've never heard food grade DE is a problem.

Due to illness, I haven't been able to shovel out my coop this fall. All of a sudden, MITES. I put 2 buckets full of DE in the run, plus 1 in each coop. They've been bathing happily away.

It's not a good substitute for better husbandry, but in the short term, they're far more comfy. I either have to clean it out myself(unlikely, COPD is worst it's ever been) or hire someone.

 

[BullChick]

I forgot about the strong opinions about it. We have other threads somewhere, but it’s necessary to revive the conversation for the new members. I remember feeling lost when I first heard about DE, and these threads helped.
I use the food grade (as opposed to pool grade) DE in the coops. I don’t let the LO use it because she’s still unable to sprinkle, and gearing up takes her too long. In a dustbath, I do think it needs cut with sand and/or wood ash. I put under the straw in the boxes every few months. I also put it in the hole the dog lays in by the house.

 

[MykaMom]

I forgot about the strong opinions about it. We have other threads somewhere, but it’s necessary to revive the conversation for the new members. I remember feeling lost when I first heard about DE, and these threads helped.
I use the food grade (as opposed to pool grade) DE in the coops. I don’t let the LO use it because she’s still unable to sprinkle, and gearing up takes her too long. In a dustbath, I do think it needs cut with sand and/or wood ash. I put under the straw in the boxes every few months. I also put it in the hole the dog lays in by the house.

I keep meaning to put a barrier around the house too. Trying to keep creepy crawlies the heck out!

 

[BullChick]

I tried putting it all around the house, but my husband got in anyway.