Where can you purchase DE?

In the event my two hens that have bare backs have mites, I thought it certainly wouldnt hurt to have a couple of dusting boxes out in the coop. Where do you purchase this and approx. what is the cost of it? Thanks! Hope everyone is well!

I'm not sure--it is pretty easy to buy--but make sure you don't buy the kind for swimming pools--they use it to filter, but that kind is, I think, too fine and easily inhaled--anyway it is not safe for animals. I think you can use the agricultural kind--try a feedstore. It is also used to control slugs and snails and insects--so maybe a plant nursery?

I'll be going to pick up my chicks from the feedstore tomorrow morning. I can ask them, but I have a feeling they are going to look at me like Whaaaat?????!

Just say: "Diatomaceous Earth" very slowly, then "You know, DE." Here is a site that discusses safety issues. In the nursery trade I saw a 1.5lb box for sale for $6.99--but I think you can get it cheaper. We've used it to store rice and grain--keeps the weevils out. Good Luck!

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/forum/archive.php/o_t/t_7363/diatomaceous-earth.html

Catscan, depending on how much rice and grain products you have, you could also use bay leaves for storage. Just put one or leaves in the container and viola...no bugs. We lost quite a bit of rice and grain products to "pantry moths" a.k.a. grain moths a number of years ago. They even ate through plastic to get to the grain. I heard about the bay leaves, and never had another problem with them or any other kind of bug.

Now if I could only find a repellent for Asian Variegated Lady Beetles, I would be happy.

GG

I have heard about using bay leaves....and I have two bay trees. I should try it! My parents were the ones that used DE. We always rinsed the rice before we used it, so it wasn't a problem--but it does have a certain worrying quality about it.

I read up on the AVLB after you posted about it. Regular Lady Beetles overwinter here in great masses, but it is up in the mountains so only the people with cabins are bothered. The AVLB sound like a mess.

We have been looking for DE as well, but can't find it here. The only stuff we found was at Lowes in the organic section, but it had another chemical in with it so we didn't get it. We had some years ago but my husband doesn't remember where he found it.

DE comes in different kinds food grade, its all DE, then there is DE with an insectacide that is good for fleas on animals and then the pool stuff, that can kill you and your chickens. I also found this that helps with all bugs on chickens http://www.carefreeenzymes.com/id36.html I am still looking for a place to buy economically.
Ebay is so far the cheapest with shipping to buy it. Right now there is 5lb for $16 thats with shipping http://cgi.ebay.com/5-lbs-Diatomaceous-Earth-Perma-Guard-Food-Grade-DE_W0QQitemZ320241825249QQihZ011QQcategoryZ46532QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem and for those who need more there a 50lb bag that is running about $60 with shipping, http://cgi.ebay.com/Diatomaceous-Earth-Natural-Insect-Killer_W0QQitemZ120249163935QQihZ002QQcategoryZ75582QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Interesting. I never thought of looking for it on Ebay.

I watch shipping costs on everything I order, some places including some eBay sellers seriously inflate shipping costs so becareful!

DE comes in food grade and non food grade. the pool version containsto high a silica content which makes it poisonous. food grade is safe for even human consumption it can be put in the chicken feed to contol internal parasites. the cheapest i found it was agway in the 5lb bags. they buy it in bulk and sell it in 5lb bags. feed stores should have it also and mabe tractor supply i haven't checked there yet to see if they carry it. sevin works also u buy it in the garden section but it is a pesticide and adams flea and tick spray works also for lice and mites.
hope that helps,
silkie

I got a 6lb bag for $12.00 at my feed store. It says its safe to use on pets, but doesnt say anything about injesting it, so it is not a food grade one. They also sell a 50lb bag for $55.00. I wanted to try it out before I spend $55.00. Hopefully it will help!

I bought mine @ custom milling. 50 lb for $50. that included shipping.

custommilling.com
toll free 1-877-348-3048.
25 lb bag $15.95 or 50 lb bag $23.95+ shipping

Thanks. Its always nice to find a great deal. Someone should set up a site or something where everyone can list the best and cheapest places to buy stuff. I am a always looking for the best deal.

Beware of the on-line sites that sell DE. I paid $50 for 25 pounds (delivery included) and it never showed up - ever.
I went to a lawn and garden show in Kansas City and one of the vendors there is a family owned organic farm supply business, only it's about 80 miles from here. But, I talked to them, and they actually delivered two 50 lb bags of foodgrade DE to our farm and only charged me $26 for each bag - definitely a good deal!

I tried it out on some ants that were getting into the kitchen. I put a small amount on the window sill and along the counter top by the wall - No more ants. I've also used it on my horses and dogs and cats, and it is all very useful. I'm mixing some with small gravel for my chicken's dust baths.

Gosh, after having those durn chicken lice once, I don't EVER want to have to deal with that again! So, DE is my friend!

I just bought 50# online w/ shipping for $56.30 from http://www.earthworksde.com/page/page/4101550.htm

And yes the shipping was more expensive than the product.. but 50# should last me a few minutes.. at least until I find a more local supplier.

I'm going to hunt down some DE. My brother mentioned once about a year ago that he was giving it to his dog for worms so I'll find out where he got it. He lives in a more rural area than I do so it is probably available at his local general store.

DE is not approved for agricultural use in Texas so it will not be sold with gardening care or in nurserys. (Or at least it shouldn't be and I never found any.) The only stuff I found was the stuff used in pool filters and I was told that it was the exact same thing. I haven't used it with my chickens yet. I will do some more research because the people here are saying not. But I know you wont be able to get it as an agricultural product in Texas.

Okay. good thing I didn't use it on my chickens. Bunch of articles said that the pool grade will kill livestock! Yikes. If you find any agrucultural grade in Texas, let me know!

there is a food grade in Texas, that is what was recommended to use on livestock.... much safer sized particles...

Thats good to know! Will they sell it at my feedstore then? Thank god I didnt dust my chickens and kill them all before I read this!
This is why I love DG!

Hoegger Goat Supply has a 5# bag for $6.95 but you have to call for shipping price. Their description:
"Diatomaceous Earth is an all natural, food grade pest control used for eliminating internal parasites and relief from ticks, fleas and garden pests. Contains 14 valuable trace minerals essential for healthy animals. Can be used with our Herbal Wormer and Tonic Program above. "

I had a heck of a time trying to find DE and finally found a source and decided to try selling it in smaller quantities for those of us who couldnt find it. It is a remarkable product and I have done quite a bit of research on it. In addition to being an excellent deterrent to external parasites, it is fed to all farm animals to control internal parasites as well. PermaGuard food grade DE is the safest on the market and is FDA approved! Is it safe? I, and a lot of other people, take it myself! There are two kinds of DE out there on the market. The kind used for swimming pools and wastewater treatment is lethal and must NEVER be used on living organisms. It is a carcinagen which means it causes cancer! The food grade DE by PermaGuard is no more dangerous than breathing "road dust" if you happen to breathe any of the dust (it is the consistency of baking flour). As far as storage goes, any container is fine as long as it is water proof). Its most common use when added to water is a whitewash on the inside of chicken coops. It never goes bad and I am sure most everyone has consumed this product without knowing it. It is used in household cereals to prevent caking, and because it is added to the cereal grain before milling, it is not required to be listed in the contents. If anyone woulld like more info, please let me know and I will try to answer your questions, dosages, safety concerns etc.

Thank you! I did not know about the whitewash inside of coops!

Is there anyway to make ticks go away? Our dogs are bringing them into the house, even though we are using frontline!

scrambleme, explain the whitewash receipe please?? is it just water & de.. and what to what?

sorry, just read it on the other post

Beth you can rub in some DE on the dog too like the old flea powder they have. Is organic and will not interfere with the frontline.