Dust Bath

[ILuvMyPetChickens]

My chickens never have a dust bath is that good or bad for them? I tried to get them in the dirt to roll around but they looked at me like im nuts. I want them to have a dust bath if it's good for them.

 

[secuono]

How old are they?

 

[ILuvMyPetChickens]

I don't know my Avatar shows how big they are.

 

[farmergirl96]

3 things:
1. They often don't start until they're older
2. Mine at least don't do it unless it's a hot day
and this might not apply to you
3. They have to have a very dusty place to do it.
In the summer when my chickens runs are all hard and dry I spray the hose in there. They love to scratch around in the damp soil, and once they make a whole big enough they take a dust bath.
Hope this helped.
-Hydrangea

 

[ILuvMyPetChickens]

Fluffy my Silkie tried to do on my drive-way with the rocks and it wasn't very dusty

 

[Marshchick]

Mine have turned the dirt and mulch under my bushes into their dust baths. They LOVE it there and have been eating lots of bugs and worms there as well.

I'm thinking of making them another dust bath and put some DE in it. Does anyone know what the ratio for that would/should be?

I think I've also seen somewhere here on BYC that some folks actually dust their chickens directly? Is that right? If so, how do you do it? I've got food grade DE, but there are no instructions on the bag for how to do any of this stuff. Thanks!

 

[7L Farm]

My chicks have lived in their coop since they were a week old & the soil in the coop is sandy loam which is ideal for bathing in. At one week they were already taking a dust bath. The reason being was it was available to them. That's one thing I have here is good ground for raising birds here at 7L. The sandy loam in my opinion is great for dust bathing & easy on their feet its like living on the beach but no ocean.

 

[ILuvMyPetChickens]

Oh we don't have a coop ours are free-range.

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Mine free range as well here's a girl taking a bath. She decided this was a good spot.

 

[Frizzle Farmer]

Mine have to make make their own spots to bathe. No matter if I want a dust bath there or not. I have about 25 chickens, and 4 dust bath spots. Mine start at about 5 weeks old. I think it's very good for them!