Share your pictures of Dust/Dirt Baths

[ChicKat]

Thanks...I know bathing is important to them but we don't want to have them in a permanent run. I'd planned using some plain ole yard dirt and sand, with some DE in it. I never thought of using ashes...makes sense though.

Thanks!

It depends on what you have available....they will love whatever you provide. :O)

 

[RMo2]

Great pics! Your flock is stunning!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[fishnet1971]

my girls are way to spoiled. I built them a dust box with peat moss and sand. They have their nice wooden box in the summer, their green trutle in winter and what ever else they can steal from me! like the container the peat moss comes in!!!!!!!

 

[mickey328]

That's awesome, fishnet! Peat's an excellent idea since they'd "process" it nicely for us. Our soil is alkaline and mostly clay so we have to amend it regularly with peat...this would be a great way to make the peat do double duty.

Seeing what you have, and that all your girls seem to like to all be there at once, I'm thinking we may have to go larger than I'd originally planned. At first I'd also thought about building them a box from the "scrap" wood we have but then thought I could use the "totes" since we have those on hand as well. It'll need to be moveable along with the pen. I reckon we'll have to do some more thinking on the idea.

Thanks!
Mickey

 

[7L Farm]

OK:

 

[fishnet1971]

The wood i used were scrap 4 X 4's. I just put them down in a square and put a second set on top. They all LOVE to be in it together. I think they would rather be there together. Gives them a 'community' bath. If the peat and sand get to wet or yeuchy I just shovel it out and use it elsewhere. I like this better than when I used the totes because they just ended up perching on the sides and dumped them over constantly. The 4 X 4's allowed them a nice wide place to perch on and didnt fall over when they were on it. Because they are not staked into the ground I can move it anytime too. I used to use just the peat, but it is dusty. THey like that better than when mixed with sand, but i like to add the sand. It's about a 50% mix. I put in some DE once in awhile too.

In summer I just freeze water bottles and dig them in to the peat as well. It stays frozen all day for them. They love to get next to it when it's hot. The peat seems to insulate the ice and keep it nice and cool.

Good luck!

 

[fishnet1971]

OK:

OMG... it looks like a dust storm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is priceless. Or like the old cartoon of the Tasmanian Devil from Bugs Bunny!!!!!

 

[aoxa]

my girls are way to spoiled. I built them a dust box with peat moss and sand. They have their nice wooden box in the summer, their green trutle in winter and what ever else they can steal from me! like the container the peat moss comes in!!!!!!!

That is amazing! How do you keep the box nice and dry? Does it drain well?

I only have the dust baths inside the barn because of the heavy rain we get. They dust bathe in the woods surrounding the barn for the most part, but use those kiddy pools often as well.

 

[fishnet1971]

for some reason the peat acts like a waterproof rain coat most of the time.It is only the top inch or two that really gets wet in a normal rain. If we get an all day soaker it does get wet. I will just dig my hands into it and turn it over and in a day or so it dries out nicely. It does dry out quickly believe it or not.

In the winter it freezes and get drenched pretty bad. That is why i went to the turtle kiddie pool in the winters. I can put the top on for most of the time or when i know its going to snow a foot. Next day or later when the sun is out I just take the top off and let them have at it!

Cost wise, realistically I end up buying 3 things of peat moss and 6 small bags of contractor sand a year. So, about $24.00 a year.BUT I also do not have to buy potting soil in the spring because I use the left overs from thier bath. It's worth that in chicken TV time to me.

I know, I know..... They are just spoiled brats.

 

[fishnet1971]

But of course no matter what you end up doing, you will still have a stubborn one that will always find something better.....

'BIRD GET OUTTA MY FLOWER BED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'