1 week old baby chicks dust bath: sand question?

[Fluffbuttnewbie]

Hi Everyone,
I would like to offer my 1 week old chicks a dish with sand for dust bathing. We have heavy clay soil so there really is no dirt to dig up. My question is: do I use new sand out of the bag or is it better to scoop some up from our run with "native" cultures so to speak?

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Hi Everyone,
I would like to offer my 1 week old chicks a dish with sand for dust bathing. We have heavy clay soil so there really is no dirt to dig up. My question is: do I use new sand out of the bag or is it better to scoop some up from our run with "native" cultures so to speak?

Other people on here may have different suggestions but I'd say new fresh stuff for bathing. Are the chicks in the run? You could offer a mix of new and used stuff on the brooder floor (if they aren't in the run?) to get them adjusted to the natural ground. I use both soil and sand mixed together for a dust bath, other times they just dig up their own in the dirt but if you don't have loose dirt available to them you might have to get some dirt (from a friend?) And mix sand in if you like.

 

[Ryguy3684]

Sand/soil would work. I use bagged soil (no additives), DE, and peat moss in my dust baths. I have the same issue with clay here in Virginia. I also mix in lavender and peppermint. I've heard the oils in them help keep bugs away. I don't know if thats true, but it smells good, and the chickens seem to like it, so why not.