Geese are typically fed on a cereal or grain diet, which is highly prone to a number of spoiling factors. Dry feed often becomes excessively moist, which can cause rot, fungus or mold to develop.
Dry grain is also an attractive target for small crawling insects such as the flour beetle or warehouse beetle.
Preserving your dry geese feed and preventing these factors from ruining your feed supplies can often require the use of toxic chemicals that are hazardous to both your health and that of your birds.
Why Mix Diatomaceous Earth With Geese Feed?
Diatomaceous earth provides a natural, chemical free alternative to chemical feed treatments with a number of significant advantages.
DE is composed primarily of fine silica particles, which are highly porous and absorbent. When mixed in with dry feed such as cereal or grain, diatomaceous earth will absorb any excess moisture that could potentially cause rot.
Diatomaceous earth also functions as a highly effective food safe organic pest control agent. When insects encounter the fine silica particles of diatomaceous earth, it binds to their exoskeletons and abrades away the waxy outer coating.
Without this protective coating, the insects are highly susceptible to the absorbent properties of diatomaceous earth, which fatally dehydrates them by drawing out the lipid oils and moisture from inside their bodies.
There is also a large body of evidence supporting the use of diatomaceous earth as an anti-parasite treatment for birds.
In a scientific clinical study performed in 2010, diatomaceous earth powder was proven to be an effective treatment to reduce parasite load and egg production in birds.
The abrasive qualities of diatomaceous earth scrape away any parasites and built up toxins in the digestive systems of geese, improving their metabolic function and overall health.
Overall, there are many reasons to supplement your geese feed with diatomaceous earth. Apart from all of the above benefits, diatomaceous earth is also highly economical and far cheaper than many of the commonly available feed preservative agents.
In this article, we’ll provide a basic outline of the best method of enhancing your geese feed with diatomaceous earth.
What You’ll Need
- Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth
- A Food Scale
- An Airtight Container
- Geese Feed
- A Diatomaceous Earth Applicator
Step 1: Choose The Right Diatomaceous Earth Grade
It’s important to ensure you’re using the right grade of diatomaceous earth when mixing geese feed. There are several forms of diatomaceous earth, and some are highly toxic to animals.
Although some brands of pest control grade diatomaceous earth claim to be completely food safe, it’s best to never use pest control grade in any capacity where it may be ingested by humans or animals, as some brands mix pest control grade diatomaceous earth with toxic poisons to increase efficacy.
Other forms of diatomaceous earth, such as pool grade diatomaceous earth, are treated with extreme temperatures that cause the silica particles to crystallize.
This crystallized from of silica is a highly effective pool filter but causes dangerous health complications if ingested or inhaled, so never store pool grade DE in a place where it can be confused with food grade.
The only grade of diatomaceous earth to use when mixing geese feed, or any other application involving ingestion, is 100% food grade DE.
Step 2: Measure Geese Feed
In order to determine the correct amount of diatomaceous earth to mix with your feed, you’ll need to determine the total weight of the feed you’re mixing. Either weight out the unmixed feed with scales or take note of the total weight of the feed bag.
Step 3: Measure Diatomaceous Earth
For use as a feed filler, diatomaceous earth should be mixed at a 2% ratio. To determine this, simply take the total weight of the feed you’ll be mixing and divide it by 50. Measure out this amount of diatomaceous earth.
Step 4: Mix Diatomaceous Earth And Geese Feed
To thoroughly mix diatomaceous earth, layer the feed and the DE in a separate airtight container in layers.
For every 3-4 inches of geese feed, add a thin layer of diatomaceous earth. Repeat this process until both the measured feed and diatomaceous earth are fully mixed. A diatomaceous earth applicator will make this process easier.
The best applicator for mixing geese feed with diatomaceous earth is the Wilcox 3 Quart Duster. For more information on this duster, check out our Wilcox 3 Quart Duster Review.
To mix the diatomaceous earth, place the lid on the container and shake vigorously to achieve an even blend. You may want to apply an additional 1 inch layer of diatomaceous earth after completing this step to deter insect pests.
Additional Notes
When handling diatomaceous earth in large amounts, always be sure to wear the relevant safety gear.
Diatomaceous earth is completely inert and non toxic but may irritate the eyes and throat if inhaled. To prevent this, always wear safety goggles and a dust mask when working with DE in enclosed spaces.
When supplementing geese feed with diatomaceous earth, always supply your birds with additional water. Diatomaceous earth is a desiccant and will dehydrate your birds if they are not sufficiently watered.
Diatomaceous Earth Information Guide:
We have a wide variety of food grade diatomaceous earth resources for you look through to make your life a little easier and chemical-free. Please check out the other valuable resources and versatile application uses for silica-rich diatomaceous earth below:
- Diatomaceous Earth Supplementation
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- Silica Water
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Please reach out regarding any information above. In the future, more share-worthy useful enhancements, experiences and effects of diatomaceous earth will be added as the benefits continue to pile up. Always welcome for more insight and awareness, click the button to see the most recommended beautifully blended product that combines both high quality food grade diatomaceous earth powder and pure organic silica together in one formula.