RE: Diatomaceous Earth

["Kathy Mayeda" <Kathy_Mayeda@atce.com>]

I could see it for fowl, because they are prone to lice in their feathers.  The chickens scratching at their feed and their dust baths is probably good reason to feed them de.  The dry application of de on the feathers I could see would be good to control lice.  They also have a different digestive system that needs grit to make it work, too.

 

I don't understand - are you getting fecal counts and not finding worms there?  Are you expecting worms in their poop after deworming?  I have never "found any worms" anyway because I always deworm due to my public boarding situation and never get fecal counts.  But it doesn't mean they don't have them.  In fact after every Panacur purge I've done (4 of them over the last two years), I see an immediate bloom on my horses, which probably indicates that they had a parasite load.

 

Yeah, it can't hurt them.  Just don't see it as being of any real value, either, but that's my opinion for whatever that's worth.  You can have yours, too.  Live and let live!

 

K.

 

 

 

 

 

 -----Original Message-----
From: Maggie Mieske [mailto:mmieske@netonecom.net]
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2001 8:00 PM
To: Kathy Mayeda; ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: Re: Diatomaceous Earth

Well, I add 25# to a 400# batch of grain for about $10 so it doesn't take any of my time and $10 doesn't make me or break me.  I have a friend who feeds it free choice to her fowl (pheasants, chickens, ducks, etc.) and she swears it improves their feathers, shine and sheen and overall general health.  I wormed our horses again this fall with liquid ivermectin just to be safe and never found any worms...I expected to find worms in the fall.  None.  The DE in the grain was the only thing that might explain that.  I don't know but it certainly can't hurt 'em. 

Maggie