chicken bath

[earnhardtlvr]

We r getting new baby peeps in about 11 days. We r new to this. We have the coop almost ready and r working on the run. We wanted to ask if it would b ok to put a hard plastic kiddie pool out in the run for them to take their dirt baths in?

 

[paddock36]

If the run has a dirt floor then they don't need a kiddie pool of dirt. I would be careful with the pool 'cause if it rains it will fill with water and then they could drown.

 

[earnhardtlvr]

it will be a dirt run, but we were going to put holes in the pool to allow water to drain and it will be partially covered by a roof and then put sand and poultry dust in the pool for them????

 

[elmo]

Honestly, you don't need a kiddie pool. I wouldn't put poultry dust in a dirt bath, either. When chickens dustbathe, they kick up the dirt in the air quite a bit, and I wouldn't want them inhaling poultry dust from the air. I do use a little under the shavings in the nestboxes, though.

 

[mcf3kids]

What is poultry dust? I am still gathering info before my chickies come in 5 weeks.

 

[earnhardtlvr]

poultry dust...to my newbie mind...is a light dust that u can spread around to help kill mites and fleas and stuff like that.

thanks for the info about not putting the poultry dust in the dirtbath tho!

 

[elmo]

Quote:
It's a natural pesticide composed of permethrins:

http://www.drugs.com/vet/prozap-garden-poultry-dust.html

 

[wildorchid053]

it is food grade diatimatous earth.. not for pool filters.. it must be food grade.. if you have dirt in your run they will make their own dirt bath place.. eventually it will be a pit in the ground after all the dirt flinging they do.

 

[Patricia Jane]

I have a dirt yard for them and I also made a dirt bath for them using a galvanized tub filled wiht dirt, sand ash and some DE and they don't use it. They prefer the dirt yard. I have holes everywhere. I wouldn't bother using the pool. Besides it gives them more room that way. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Chicklette 1]

I have a sand box in their run and I use play sand in it. They do most of their "bathing" in the sand box and they seem to love it. Also, it can never get muddy and the sand dries very quickly. In the hot summer, I spray it a little and they love the cool damp sand.