Dust baths

[vpatt]

I haven't bought sand yet but I saw that quikrete sand.....50# doesn't look like much, does it?:/

 

[dsbailey70]

It's not, but if you can get washed, construction grade sand by the yard from a quarry, or materials company, that might be a better bet.

 

[vpatt]

It's not, but if you can get washed, construction grade sand by the yard from a quarry, or materials company, that might be a better bet.

I asked someone who works at a concrete company and was told they don't carry that type of sand. I thought that was odd.

 

[GrandmaBird]

Good grief...its simply prewashed sand. most places that sell rock for landscaping sell it pretty cheap.

 

[luvburds]

Good grief...its simply prewashed sand. most places that sell rock for landscaping sell it pretty cheap. 

take a five gallon bucket over to a landscape supply company and it won't cost much at all. Probably a dollar or so. Stop by a construction site and they will probably give it to you.

 

[vpatt]

take a five gallon bucket over to a landscape supply company and it won't cost much at all. Probably a dollar or so. Stop by a construction site and they will probably give it to you.

Good idea! I was thinking you would need to buy a pickup full or have it delivered.

 

[LynnAnd]

I am new to chickens and love my girls (an unplanned boys!) I want to do a dust bath but not really sure what or where. They free range about an hour a day in the early evening. I have 11 babies about 3 month old different variations. I burn oak for heat in a wood stove. Could I just put the ash in a large tub and place it in the coup or am I making it too simple! Thank you!

 

[HighStreetCoop]

I burn oak for heat in a wood stove. Could I just put the ash in a large tub and place it in the coup or am I making it too simple!  Thank you!

I would mix it with some dirt/sand, but yeah, it's really that simple.

 

[shorttimer]

OK, So I did a little search & found this info:

http://www.braenstone.com/2013/07/concrete-sand-vs-mason-sand-vs-white-sand/

And here's my spin. We all want to do the best for our chickens. That's why we're here. I really don't think the chickens care which sand we get them, as long as it has the proper mix. That mix could be dirt, sand, ashes, wood chips/sawdust, DE and maybe a few other things. Personally I would stay away from chemicals like Sevin because the ashes & DE will do the same thing but more naturally, however I would only add a small amount of DE to the mix. I live near the beach & I have often thought about using beach sand and I actually don't think a small amount of it mixed in would hurt anything if it was filtered/screened first. Those rectangular, heavy duty, black plastic mixing bins, from any hardware store should be a real good size for a dust bath, that could be drug about even if you're not too strong, so they could be used with a tractor or moved to the compost pile when they're well used. Or maybe just continuously be added to after the chickens fling the old material out. So my mix is 3/4 sand & dirt, almost 1/4 ashes, some wood chips and 1/2 cup DE well mixed in said container. trying to cover all the bases. I think observation of their response will be the best measure.

 

[vpatt]

I made a nice little dust bath for the chickies....ashes, sand and a little bit of DE. To my knowledge not a one of them ever used it. They just like dirt. Yesterday I saw four of them in a row bathing. I hadnt seen that before.