<<< on this same note, i've wondered what DE does to the worms in the
compost?
Wendy>>>>
Good question Wendy. I am up in the air about the whole DE thing. I
was very excited about using it last year and went to a lot of trouble
to find a local source - which I never found, but my feed store did
order some for me. Some of you may remember my concern over the fact
that the bag did NOT say anywhere on it that it was "food grade"; yet a
call back to the feed store and them to their supplier assured me that
it was indeed. I finally did start using it and used the whole bag
last summer; we feed it to all the animals, including mixing it in the
chix feed in the hanging feeder. And we used it nearly daily after
cleaning the chix pen, would spread around to dry up. I also had
terminator fly traps hanging everywhere.
I did not see any improvement in the fly situation at all.
The more I read about it the more concerned I became about using it.
The silicosis thing (not a small concern),- I did not read that that was
particular to the pool filter grade; but did read a lot about the
dangers of inhaling the stuff and silicosis. I read that it is
dangerous to use around chickens and especially in dust bath situations
where a lot of the dust is kicked up and then of course breathed. I
became concerned about my dd and I inhaling the microscopic "little
knifes" as we threw it, even carefully, around the chix pen and in their
little house. I was not so concerned, as I had been in the beginning,
about it leaving behind microscopic cuts in the intestinal tract leading
to internal bleeding and leaky gut syndrome, as I read that it is
totally inactivated once wet. Hmmm, if it is totally inactivated when
wet then how can it work intestinally?
Once that bag was gone, I did not buy another. Now I am thinking about
it yet again. I listen to the Dirt Doctor on the radio on Sunday
mornings (and really really like the guy). He is a big proponent of DE
in animal feed and used as an organic pest control..... .and I really
respect him. But still I am on the fence. I cannot ignore my
concerns. There are those who swear it is a dangerous practice and
just as many who swear by it. He pushes a brand of dog food that has
DE in it. Yet again, if it is totally inactivated once wet, how
effective can it be?
And if is cuts carpet fibers and shortens the life of carpet, then what
does it do the coats of animals that are rolling in it - or like some
that are having it rubbed into their coat (dogs, cats, etc)? I don't
know, but worth discussing. I know it would have to dry out their
skin, which would leave the animal more susceptible to skin infections
and other skin issues.
Janice, just thinking and wondering out loud
