DE .. How do you use it?

[motdaugrnds]

I found some Diacho...Earth (forgot how to spell it) in a 4.5 lb bag. It is so fine I don't know how to use it without getting waaaay too much in any one spot. How do you guys/gals use it?

[Suzyq2u]

What were you planning on using it for?
We recently got a big monster 50lb bag for the chickens (they have/had lice). I literally gloved and masked up, got a folgers can and went to town sprinkling it everywhere.

[Bearfootfarm]

Use a sifter to spread it around to kill bugs.

It only works when it's dry

Killing insects and absorbing moisture are it's main proven uses.

Many say it will treat internal parasites, but scientific studies say that is not true

[PrettyPaisley]

Is it food grade?
I was told (could be misinformation) that food grade DE is not as damaging to the lungs of animals and humans-but I'd still be careful with it.

[Alice In TX/MO]

All diatomaceous earth is the bodies of little fossilized algae organisms. Some of it is cleaner than others. It is from sedimentary deposits formed at the bottom of prehistoric oceans.

Some brands of diatomaceous earth have pesticides added.

BE VERY CAREFUL to avoid inhaling it, as it is damaging to lungs.... yours or the goats.

From Wikipedia:
Diatomite is also used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate.[9] Arthropods die as a result of the water pressure deficiency, based on Fick's law of diffusion. This also works against gastropods and is commonly employed in gardening to defeat slugs. However, since slugs inhabit humid environments, efficacy is very low. It is sometimes mixed with an attractant or other additives to increase its effectiveness. Medical-grade diatomite is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans, with questionable efficacy.[10][11] It is most commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and eventually eliminate cockroach and flea infestations. This material has wide application for insect control in grain storage.[12] It has also been used to control bedbug infestations, but this method may take weeks to work.[13]

[Backfourty,MI.]

If I am using it in the goats bedding areas or duck house, etc. I use an old flour sifter to spread it around.

If I am going to actually dust one of the critters with it an old thin, not winter thick sock works pretty good like a powder puff would kinda. Be sure & wear a mask though & try to keep it down wind from the goats faces if dusting them too so they don't inhale it either.

[motdaugrnds]

This is "food grade", a "PET approved brand" "for use indoors & outdoors", "...wear dust mask..." and is used for "fleas, ticks, ants, cockroaches, slugs, beetles, earwigs, silverfish & other crawling insects...is effective and long lasting as long as it is kept dry..." The active ingredients are:

Silicon dioxide 85%
other element oxides 10%
moisture 5%

I purchased it at Southern States; yet it did not come with any tool for dispensing it. If using my hand, much is wasted. I have considered using an old nylon hose; but I believe the DE is too fine and too much would come out using that. I can see using a "thin" sock and "dusting" it onto areas and/or animals; but I can also see that method putting much of it into the air and I'ld like to avoid doing that.

I could use the flour sifter Backfourty mentioned and that would do nicely for bedding areas, even though any scratching or pawing of that bedding would scatter the DE into the air for those animals to breath; so this bothers me.

I am still so stumped as to how to use such a fine powder without endangering life forms it is being disbursed to protect.

[RedSonja]

I got DE to help clear out a flea infestation in our house (niece came over and snuck a barn cat in the house in spite of being told not to do so. Then left the cat in the house when they left so cat stayed in over night. Left me two piles of stink and infested the house with fleas). It worked too. I got this to use it on our house cat and to apply to the carpets:

http://www.amazon.com/All-Stop-M345-...2250378&sr=8-6

Do be sure to use a good quality mask when applying it, I can't stress that enough. We have a fine particulate mask I used and it was clogged and done for when I finished with the DE.

-Sonja

[motdaugrnds]

RedSonja, how did you protect your eyes?

[Backfourty,MI.]

I've never had a problem with it blowing into my eyes but the bedding areas are inside the barn or their out buildings. If your doing it outside be sure to do it on a day without wind.
I've also never noticed it flying around when they paw their bedding areas after I've put it down but I only usually do their bedding areas about twice a year but I've never had any of them with lice on them I just want to make sure they don't have anything on them either. So twice a year seems plenty enough for me here.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Safety goggles:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...YKZDT343BHY6EG

[motdaugrnds]

I've got safety goggles that look like the ones in that url Alice; so guess I will be making use of those.

[NewlandNubians]

Well I guess I figure if I'm going to expose the goats to it's good enough I don't need protection so I spread mine w/out a mask. Strange thing is my goats used to have that annoying cough but in recent years they never cough. I don't stand there and inhale it either. I mix it with minerals and it seems to help with fly problem but does nothing for worms. I use it in the henhouse for mites and in their dusting areas. I also feed it in their (chicken) feed for flies.

[lasergrl]

I cant remember where I heard it (maybe someone here?) on why it may work as an internal dewormer.

Feeding it on a consistent basis, it comes out in the stools. Then, once they dry up the D.E. is able to dry out the eggs. Therefore not killing any worms internally but helping break the cycle a little. So it isnt going to help one little bit for worms the goat already has.