Building a Dust Bath. Wood Ash?

[JedJackson]

Sand and fine soil mixed is good, maybe with a little dry ash added.

I would never use dried peat moss because it can cause respiratory problems in people, and for all I know, chickens, too. And it offers no benefits, anyway.

 

[TLCMidMichigan]

I use DE when I either change out or add to the deep dish in the coop. I am thinking of getting a large tub. put some dirt in it w/DE mixed. Al the gang stay in the coop right now. Too cold outside. Thus more activity and no dusting themselves.

 

[centrarchid]

Do you use DE in your chicken keeping? Or do you mean for ants, fleas, etc.?

I have used it specifically as a component of dust baths and as a minor component of bedding to control flies. The former appears to be an effective use while the latter is clearly effective. Use in fly management aligns with labelled use in greenhouse settings for insect control where the DE particles damage the chitinous body parts causing leakage of body fluids akin to bleeding. With respect to external parasites such as mites / lice, the DE does not appear to kill the parasites, rather it operates like finer dust particles that interfere with the external parasites ability to grasp feathers and skin of the chicken causing the parasites to fall off. My preference is to have a range of particle sizes in the dust baths. Coarser particles are easier for birds to get next to skin and smaller particles that likely interfere with parasite grabbing move with the coarser particles.

Somebody needs to test whether the DE works as I hypothesize. Someone also needs to determine if chickens have respiratory issues with the DE that mammals are reputed to have.

 

[aart]

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!

Old post quoted

I have used it specifically as a component of dust baths and as a minor component of bedding to control flies. The former appears to be an effective use while the latter is clearly effective.....Somebody needs to test whether the DE works as I hypothesize.

I doused some maggots that were on top of a poop bucket with DE, most were still alive after 2-3 days.

 

[centrarchid]

Old post quoted



I doused some maggots that were on top of a poop bucket with DE, most were still alive after 2-3 days.

How did the adults fair, as in those not protected by semi-moist environs.

 

[Ace864]

I always use sand for them, never tried wood ash

 

[EggSighted4Life]

DE can have benefits when properly used. Siting peoples opinions does not help.

It has some uses, yes.

It does NOT work in my environment, period.

There was an open question mark at the end of the headline.. that means open to opinion in MY understanding.

Thank you for stating YOUR opinion that other opinions are not helpful.

Agree to disagree.. and like EVERYTHING posted on the internet.. should be taken with a grain of salt AND use ones' own discernment as to whether it applies to them or not.

 

[aart]

How did the adults fair, as in those not protected by semi-moist environs.

Not sure. Really haven't had problem levels of flies, but some were obviously around.
This was a poop bucket with a cracked top, maggots were found on top of lid and doused with DE.
The only thing I use DE for is to kill grain mites that come in feed bags in the summer.

 

[centrarchid]

Educators base their crap on opinions. A waste

 

[OffGridChook]

I use the local soil (read: the dry, silty stuff in my yard), sand (play sand because it’s all they had) and wood ash from our wood stove. I just bought a container yesterday, though, as usually they just dug a huge hole in the run. I came across an inexpensive solution by accident at Ace yesterday. $7.99. You cannot beat that. Granted they have to take turns in twos now and can’t all do it at once but after the initial WTH is that! They like it

The litter box is for my trying to make cleaning under the roost easier but I’m not sure I’m sold on it. I wish I had canvas on dowels but I think they might fall in it.

(I keep their shavings in the gray bins) this area is a bit of a mess as it’s REALLY windy in this plateau and I’ve been piling things up to keep them from being blasted this winter.

There’s a line lol...