[AlpacaTalk] DE Questions
<<I use it for my chickens and have very little fly problems. I am not
scientific about it--I put 2-3 quarts of feed in the feeder, sprinkle
on a dusting of DE, put 1-3 more quarts of feed in, srinkle another
coating, etc. I put my DE in old Kraft parmesean containers as they
have great sprinkle tops and are a decent size. Old creamer
containers also work well, but tend to pour instead of sprinkle. If I
see flys I will also sprinkle the manure piles.
I haven't had nay luck finding food grade DE in ANY local feed store,
after much research last year I found Custom Milling
http://www.custommi
There are people that say it is bad for the intestines and others who
say it isn't. the best discussions I've found on it are on the
Backyard Chickens forum
http://www.backyard
and you'll find tons of stuff.
Morgen Bowers
Dreamwood Farm
Claverack, NY>>
Thanks Morgen! I wish we had had this conversation this spring instead
of fall! The flies have been awful this year.
I have been calling all my various feed stores and noone around here
carries DE, but my favorite feed store (small, family owned, really
great folks) said someone else had called recently asking about it and
they didn't know what it was. So I gave them all the info (and made sure
they understood there is a difference between FOOD quality and pool
quality - thanks for emphasizing this Susan) and they are going to check
into getting it in. In the meantime I'll check the website you use as well.
I even have some of those sprinkle top type containers (I never throw
away *anything* that might remotely be useful :-).
So I assume you stop after fly season? I never worm my chix tho I know
a lot of folks do. I've kept backyard chickens for probably 20 yrs and
never had any illnesses or parasite problems, but have occ wondered if
perhaps I should worm them. Using the DE should soothe my concerns
about that as well. So they get enough of it by "proxy" from pecking at
their feed pellets? Again I would think it would just fall to the bottom.
This has been a very helpful discussion! You guys are ever helpful and
informative. I am very excited about incorporating DE into my regimen.
I am still trying to wrap my brain around actually getting it into the
alpacas tho. I know the expensive minerals I get from Dr Evans go to
waste, in fact I don't even give any more, because they don't eat and
they just fall to the bottom of the feed container and sit there. I
have tried putting them out free choice.....and their choice is to NOT
eat them. So I am thinking the same thing will happen with the DE
powder. Mixing it in the bulk feed can seems like it would all just
sift to the bottom and even if not, I am not sure how I would know they
are all getting their "dose" daily? Maybe the dusty powder sticks to
the feed....and you can see it?
At this time of year with fly season about over, or over for some of
you, do you stop until spring?
Warmly,
Janice in GA......very much looking forward to a flea (barn cats) and
fly free season next summer!
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posted by Chaddo at 10:35 AM
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