Quick question about DE...

[Nyna]

Hi all, so someone said that DE will not treat active internal parasites? Is that true? Also, if this DE is so wonderful how come the food grade stuff is so hard to find? I had to order mine from the internet and pay a hefty shipping charge, and this area is full of animal, natural foods and garden supply stores!

 

[dlhunicorn]

it is external action which kills the parasites and once the DE is wet it will no longer work (this is well documented)... it will help manage and control the little pests around your coop and such and when put in the bird bath (dirt bath) will also help the mice / lites which may be on the outside of your bird... HELMITHS are insects which are carriers of worms which will internally multiply inside your bird (by controlling these in the run or coop then your bird will have less chance of eating the "infected" insect)... once your birds have internal worms you will have to get the appropriate med to treat it... a vet can do an examination of the poo to see which parasite is causing the problem and give you an appropriate med to treat it.

 

[SeaChick]

why do so many people put DE into their animals feeds if it doesn't work when wet? that seems like a waste if its true. Anyone?

 

[schmoo]

Seachick -my chickens food is not wet. Its dry. Thats why I add it.

I don't waste it by putting it outside in the run, because it rains alot here, so I just put it in the coop.

 

[CutestChickenFarmer]

To clarify - is the point of putting DE in with the chicken feed to keep the bugs out of the feed, as opposed to keeping the bugs out of the bird?

Susan

 

[countrygirl4513]

I add it to the dry food so the chicks get free choice. I put it in the dry dog food too. By ingesting it from what I have researched it eliminates the internal parasites as well as external when you use it as a dust. When they ingest it, it also works it's way out in the pooh, and the flies just won't have anything to do with those DE dallops!
I'm taking a teaspoon a day myself. Just started it but will keep an eye on how my conditions improve. Others have said it works great to regulate stomach and bowel troubles. We shall see.
I am a big believer in DE. I use it everywhere my animals go. And the tick and flea population are near to non-existant for the dogs. When we have rain and the smell in the coop gets stirred up, you know that icky smell, I use the dust and BAM, the smell is gone along with the flies. DE is multi-purpose and WONDERFUL! As long as it's food grade.

 

[dlhunicorn]

that is a very good use for DE (though it is usually put in the storage bin) ... once it is inside your birds crop... i.e. wet...well it might help with diarrhea or such (so will kaolin) but it will not be killing any internal parasites...