advice on dust baths

[evitachu]

I put a bucket inside the coop so they can dust bathe, and they ignored it. What to do?????

 

[shortgrass]

Mine get dust baths wherever they can find a nice spot lol...under the coop, under the trees, by the gate... I did scoop out a corner of the coop and put some DE and ash mixed with sand in it, but they actually prefer it outside, so it was kind of a waste of time lol..

I notice they really go at it when it's slightly wet out; they find their holes they've been working on and its not so dusty... Its mostly around an old hydroponic bed, sand and bark mulch. They have preferences at bathing lol

 

[Egghead_Jr]

The reason I supplied a kiddie pool for dust bathing is we don't want the birds digging up around the fruit trees making bath pits. The pool is so I can move it as I move the electric netting around. The other reason for supplying a dust bath is for the frozen winter ground, not that parasites are a problem in winter but thwy still enjoy bathing on the sunny days out in the run.

 

[shortgrass]

I can see the benefit to the pool for sure; they make a mess in the wrong places, especially when they pick my herb bed for bathing lol... I used a turkey roasting pan, and they hated it... Maybe they thought I was going to cook them

I'm curious to see if they would use the pool if I put one out for them... They free range, so I doubt it, but never know lol... Sand box for chickens ha-ha

 

[chynasparks]

I find that my girls love their sand box. Since I keep them confined, we made a sand box in the middle of their outdoor enclosure. It's on concrete so I put hay everywhere and they can jump into the sandbox. All 5 can fit in. We've had a heat wave in Texas so I have been wetting the sand down. They have been digging in and sitting in the wet sand. As soon as life's dramas settle down we're going to get that front enclosure done which will be on the ground.
Mine lives the dust baths

 

[rbruno]

In early post in this thread, some of you mentioned putting "sevin" in the dust bath. Are you referring to the Sevin that you can put on plants to get rid of the bugs? As in the pesticide?

 

[MeepBeep]

In early post in this thread, some of you mentioned putting "sevin" in the dust bath.  Are you referring to the Sevin that you can put on plants to get rid of the bugs?  As in the pesticide?

Yes

 

[rbruno]

I am new to this and learning, but is that stuff harmful to the chickens? I guess not if people are using it but I would have never thought of mixing that in with sand or dirt
Rob

 

[MeepBeep]

I am new to this and learning, but is that stuff harmful to the chickens?  I guess not if people are using it but I would have never thought of mixing that in with sand or dirt

There is always going to be a very divided never ending debate on any pesticides 'harmfulness'...

Feel free to make your own call by researching Carbaryl...

 

[shortgrass]

I am new to this and learning, but is that stuff harmful to the chickens?  I guess not if people are using it but I would have never thought of mixing that in with sand or dirt
Rob

I would NEVER even THINK of using Sevin on an animal...actually I wouldn't even use Sevin on my yard lol, sand, ashes, and DE are the only thing allowed on my birds; my food comes from them lol.. it's a hot debate, that Sevin/DE debate.... It's a toxin, completely up to users discretion, but MeepBeep is right, look into CARBARYL and make your informed decision