How do you make a dust bath?

[new2chicks17]

Is there a certain ratio of (food grade DE) and woodstove ash added to sand/dirt for dust baths. Seems most everyone has their own concoction.

 

[rosiesgirls]

I'm so happy to see that turtle! I have one in the backyard and told hubby not to throw it away because I wanted to use it for the chickens. He said he thought it was too big...I'll have to show him your picture!

 

[Fringe]

So I had a big tub in the run under the coop. It was about 6" tall and about 1 or 2 x 2.5 or 3 feet. I put some sand in it, about 3" and mixed in a bit of food grade DE. I could tell they were going in the tub but it didn't look like they were doing any bathing as there was just footprints, a little poop now and then but no shallow holes that were big enough to fit their bodies.
I thought maybe they don't like the tub, so I dumped it out under the coop (same place as the tub). It's good and dry under there, but of course they've scratched through it and spread it out and still no body-shaped holes that look like they've bathed.
I have four, got them when they were about 12 and 15 weeks old. They're now over 20 weeks old. Not laying yet.
Any ideas. I worry about mites and lice. They're very skittish having never been handled as chicks. Finally eating out of my hands but I haven't been able to pick them up yet. (I tried picking one up and she squawked and fought me and the rest got so alarmed they ran around and then into the coop!) I don't see any evidence of mites on their feet, but it's hard to tell. Since I can't pick them up I can't check for lice.
Any ideas for getting them to dust bathe? The sand seems dry to me but maybe it's just not dry enough, even in the tub. It's a very protected area under there... so it should be dry enough. We have a lot of birds in our yard and I worry about them picking something up. Thanks, I thought this looked like a good forum to ask as you all have posted so much good information! Love this website!

 

[Kris64]

I realize this was from last year, but I've heard chickens tend to love Peat Moss to bath in.

 

[Klimmek6]

Has anyone ever hear of using PZ in the coop and dust bath? This is used in horse stalls to keep it from excessive order. It's like a sand but very dusty and I was wondering if it could cause respiratory issues with my chickens.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Has anyone ever hear of using PZ in the coop and dust bath? This is used in horse stalls to keep it from excessive order. It's like a sand but very dusty and I was wondering if it could cause respiratory issues with my chickens.

I haven't. And I'm not sure I'd risk it. I lost three BO's who inhaled too much DE and silica from having too much sand in a dust bath. I had my necropsy done at University of Davis in California by students there so I'm pretty confident in that's what caused them to perish.

Since then, I mix one bag of washed sand (50lb sack) with a big bag of peat moss and several big shovels full of soft, loamy dirt. I don't put anything else in mine. And I've never had issues w/ mites. I've read that wood ash is also good in a bath. But I don't have access to any.

Here's a photo of one of my BO's exploring the dust bathing pit when it was new. They've had it for months now and use it every day. When the weather gets hot, I'll dump a gallon of water in there and turn it w/ a shovel. It doesn't get muddy. Just damp. And they LOVE that when it's hot out. They do poop in it so I've got a kitty litter scoop near by and I just scoop out the droppings. So it stays quite clean.

 

[EmeraldRuby]

We dont make one, they do it on the ground with dirt. (For our chickens)

 

[LullaBelle]

Have been having problems with mites myself.It just doesn't seem fair for them2get worse when you R trying so hard2help them.I resorted to DE myself.It hasn't killed any of my chickens,but it doesn't seem2B doing them much good either.In fact,I have a Buff Orpington myself who seems 2have contracted some kind of respiratory ailment.I thought it mightBsome kind of cold,but it has been quite some time&none of the other chickens seem2have it.I should just stick2Rhode Island Reds.They aren't fancy,but they are beautiful&so hearty.They tolerate hot,cold &pests pretty well.My husband&I R going2 address the mites hopefully this week.He wants2build something they have2walk thru2treat the mites on the way2 a snack.He says"B smarter than the chicken"We'll C how it goes....

 

[velmajr]

My coop isn't big enough to fit a dust bath inside. Is it pointless to put one outside where it will get rained on? I'm on north island of NZ and we have very temperate winters, but lots of rain.

 

[velmajr]

I have similar questions about making a dustbath so have read all the replies with interest. I notice that when mine free range in our yard they'll use our piles of dry lawn clippings (we use as mulch) in this way. So maybe that would be an ok thing to add? (Key probably with them being dry clippings I guess - not fresh ones). I'm new to chickens too so have more questions than answers but hopefully that helps you a bit!