Chickens rolling in wet sand

[3KillerBs]

My chicks, 7 and 9 weeks old, dug themselves a dust bath in the pine straw under the trees in one corner of their pen.

Previously, before they got bold enough to go that far, they dug a dust bath in the trampled area below the access door of their coop and another in the starting-to-get-trampled area at the end of the ramp to the pop door (these locations are sheltered from rain while the pine straw corner is not).

They also dig dust bath holes in their bedding in the coop.

As long as they have access to the ground -- with or without composting mulch on top of it -- they'll create their own dust bathing areas without us needing to build them a spa.

 

[Owntalin]

Wet when ambient air is hot and dry causes evaporative cooling.
It doesn't work so well when it is very humid.
I know it has been hot there but I can't imagine the UK being hotter than here.
It has been 35-38C for a good part of the summer but we have a temporary reprieve now. Some summers it can stay 40+ for weeks. It gets even hotter down south and out west.
If the ground is dry, they make their own dust baths. I can't imagine a pet store having something like that. If I need to make one because it has been too wet here, like now, I use plain dry soil, sand, wood ashes and agricultural lime. Don't use ashes from a barbecue because it may have fat drippings in it which will adhere to the feathers and possibly even attract parasites.

Haahaahaa yeah usually we would think the same. From Friday last week it has been between 35-38°c.bloody hot for here! Tomorrow it is now meant to be getting back to 28°c ish. Let's hope so! Can't take that kinda heat any more!

 

[Owntalin]

My chicks, 7 and 9 weeks old, dug themselves a dust bath in the pine straw under the trees in one corner of their pen.

Previously, before they got bold enough to go that far, they dug a dust bath in the trampled area below the access door of their coop and another in the starting-to-get-trampled area at the end of the ramp to the pop door (these locations are sheltered from rain while the pine straw corner is not).

They also dig dust bath holes in their bedding in the coop.

As long as they have access to the ground -- with or without composting mulch on top of it -- they'll create their own dust bathing areas without us needing to build them a spa.

Ty. Our floor is concrete based. And our mud we have is compost. Not dusty kinda durt, so not gonna work.

 

[Owntalin]

Am in the UK too I use a mix of all kinds for there dust bath the trick is just keep it dry. I use compost/soil fresh from B & Q and some building sand or play sand or even sand from the beach. I use the ashes from any bbqs or garden fires we have too.

Ohhh right OK. We have a sand pit atm. So I could mix up some dirt in there and use that for a dust bath? Just find compost and dirt here so wet. But, mixing it with the sand will help dry it out and the sand pit is under shelter so won't get wet. Ty very much! This really does help!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Haahaahaa yeah usually we would think the same. From Friday last week it has been between 35-38°c.bloody hot for here! Tomorrow it is now meant to be getting back to 28°c ish. Let's hope so! Can't take that kinda heat any more!

I imagine fewer homes in the UK have air conditioning.
As the climate warms, many in the northern regions of the US have started installing them.
When I was young, very few people in Chicago or northern Indiana had AC - now they do.

 

[Owntalin]

I imagine fewer homes in the UK have air conditioning.
As the climate warms, many in the northern regions of the US have started installing them.
When I was young, very few people in Chicago or northern Indiana had AC - now they do.

Not many no. Its cooled today alot. 28° it pourred down this morning. 3months worth of rain in half an hour. Soaked their outdoor bit. They got a little wet, but I shooed them into the warm and they dried quicllkly. They did not put up much of a fight. Then it started raining just now and they took themselves in. They are clever cloggs aren't they?! They take themselves to bed now aswell!!