Advice please! Pic attached

[FirstTimeFlock]

Hoping for some advice, please!
We are new chicken owners & will be using an existing coop with attached run. The previous occupants dug 3 or 4 dust baths & I'm wondering if I should fill all but 1 in for the new occupants - my 6 little chickies!
Also, any recommendations as to what to fill the unwanted baths with? Sand or dirt then cover with mulch? Something else? What do you add to your dust baths?
Another thing I'm wondering about is whether or not I need a door or screen of some kind between the coop & the run? There's currently just an opening.
Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[KingOfTheCoop02]

A lot of people add diatomaceous earth to their dust baths since it helps to kill mites and lice. Ash, sand or dry earth are other good things to put in there. And I don't see why you would need to fill some holes up. I don't think the chickens will mind. Also they like bathing as a group.
I would recommend that you put a door in the house to keep out predators at night as well.
Good luck!

 

[FirstTimeFlock]

Thanks for the feedback, KingOfTheCoop2! I was thinking that by filling some of the baths in that I would be giving them a larger area to forage, I guess. They won't be free ranging a lot - probably just when we can supervise them.

 

[KingOfTheCoop02]

Well their run seems a nice size and they will scratch in the baths too! I'm sure they'll be fine! You can put in some enrichments or boredom-busters like swings or grazing crates. You can search online or on pinterest for more ideas.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

I'd be willing to bet the previous owners didn't dig those holes but that the chickens dug them! Chickens love digging in dirt to bath as well as looking for bugs and worms.

We use an old galvanized tub filled with a mixture of peat moss and wood ash for their dust bath.

 

[FirstTimeFlock]

Yes, ChickenMammX4, I am almost certain that the dust baths are made by the chickens who previously occupied the coop rather than the owners. Not sure how many chickens they had in there though & was wondering if it was better to just have one big dust bath & cover the rest so they have more foraging space.

 

[FirstTimeFlock]

Thanks again, KingOfTheCoop2. More great advice!