advice on dust baths

[hleone]

we have a hay floor in our run. the chickens have no access to dirt/dust. is it 100% necessary for them to have a dust bath? how do we provide it for them if it is necessary? my thought is kitty litter box filled with dirt/sand.

 

[MeepBeep]

Is it necessary, no but it's natural for them to take dust baths and it helps them get rid of their own cooties...

I use a kids swimming pool, of course if you are bound by size you have to adjust to what will fit, many use plastic smaller tubs or build something out of wood...

If you use a litter box it should be a deep one or else they will empty it out on the floor...

 

[LovinAK]

I'm not sure if it's absolutely necessary, but I know they really enjoy it. I have wood shavings in their barn and they dust bathe in that. I've also provided a 20gal stock tank (wide flat tank used for watering horses) with sand and diatomaceous earth and they all flock to that for dust bathing.
You could try a big kitty litter box with just sand or dirt and see if they like it.

 

[hleone]

ok great and what do you put in your dust bath? just dirt?

 

[chicapee]

I put sand, top soil, de and a smidgen of sevins.

 

[MeepBeep]

In my kiddie pool for the initial fill there was 100lbs of play sand, about 3lbs of Diatomaceous Earth, 1lb of Sevin, a 5 gallon bucket full of charcoal and wood ash... And I just randomly add more ash, some dirt, and small amounts of DE or Sevin to replenish it as needed...

 

[LovinAK]

In my kiddie pool for the initial fill there was 100lbs of play sand, about 3lbs of Diatomaceous Earth, 1lb of Sevin, a 5 gallon bucket full of charcoal and wood ash... And I just randomly add more ash, some dirt, and small amounts of DE or Sevin to replenish it as needed...

Good idea on the wood ash, I haven't thought of that. This winter there will be plenty of it!

 

[MeepBeep]

Good idea on the wood ash, I haven't thought of that. This winter there will be plenty of it!

During the winter mine comes out of the wood stove, during the summer I collect it from the BBQ... BBQ stuff I sift through a 1/8" mesh to remove globs of grease or whatever...

 

[LovinAK]

Thank you, we have plenty of that right now too. Going to offer some to my girls right now.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I also use an old kiddie pool that I put a bunch of nail holes in for drainage. For size limitations and if stationary an old tire works well.

I use equal parts sand and wood ash. Ash has the same drying property as DE. It draws moiture from insects making for inhospitable environment for lice and mites. The reason chickens naturally bath is to deter these pests, sand and ash aids them greatly. With wood ash as a preventative you may never have to deworm or treat for lice and mites. It's free to me so I don't have a need for purchasing DE.