12/24/2023 0 Comments Chronic chicken mathYet another detrimental drying effect of DE on the immune system is robbing chickens of the natural oils they preen onto their feathers to maintain good condition and provide effective insulation in cold weather. DE dries these moist membranes, disrupting the beneficial populations of microflora, rendering the bird vulnerable to pathogens and disease. Another aspect of the immune system is the mucous membranes in the mouth, vent, eyes and ears that possess populations of beneficial microflora charged with defending ports of access into the chicken’s body from invasion by pathogens. Skin’s functions are to act as a barrier against pathogens and other potentially harmful substances, retain vital fluids and gases, and alerts chickens to the proximity of potential threats with its network of highly sensitive nerve endings. While we typically think of the immune system as working inside the body, skin is the largest organ of the chicken’s immune system and its first line of defense against pathogens and disease. Yes, it’s natural, yes it’s organic, yes it’s cancer-causing when inhaled in sufficient amounts over time. While chickens may live a decade or less, breathing crystalline silica regularly is known to cause cancer and chronic pulmonary disease in humans, so even if chicken DE weren’t a health hazard to chickens, the daily danger of airborne, respirable DE particles in the extremely dusty atmosphere of a chicken yard every day ought to scare the tar out of users. ![]() The use of DE in the coop or dust bath ensures its constant presence in the air.ĭE is a respiratory hazard to chickens- it is known to create scar tissue on the lungs that impairs respiration. The Material Data Safety Sheets written by manufacturers of food grade DE caution users to avoid creating dust, avoid inhaling dust, use local exhaust ventilation, wear coveralls, use respirators and wear safety goggles. Silicon dioxide, the drying element in DE, exists primarily in the amorphous form, but also contains the more dangerous, crystalline form.
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