Converting run to add dust bath

[heather134]

I'd like to dig up our current run that's filled with pine bark nuggets (recommended by a neighbor when we first built our coop) and replace with something else so our girls can more easily have daily dust baths. Recommendations? My husband likes the idea of nuggets, but I'm sure I can convince him of something else if it's easy to dig out and replace every few years when the poop becomes too dense.
The run is about 4'x10' (could be slightly bigger, I didn't measure it), rectangle, roosts at one end and ladder to the coop at the other end. It's covered with plastic sheeting so it doesn't get completely soaked. We have 7 hens, and need it to be thick enough to cover the mesh about eight inches below the surface so predators don't dig their way in. We live in Indiana so we do get snow inside the run sometimes.

 

[RojoMarz]

If all else is working with the nuggets, why not just add "something" that can contain the dust bath area (ie. dog house, kiddie pool, kiddie sand box, tire, box, bin, etc)?

 

[AinaWGSD]

I agree, if you're otherwise satisfied with the pine bark the easiest solution would be to find a kiddie pool or sandbox and add sand that way.

 

[aart]

I use coarse wood chips in my run, only a few inches deep.
They just dig thru the chips to the dirt to dust bathe.
They use the part of the run under the coop in winter(which stays dry thus doesn't freeze hard).

 

[rosemarythyme]

If all else is working with the nuggets, why not just add "something" that can contain the dust bath area (ie. dog house, kiddie pool, kiddie sand box, tire, box, bin, etc)?

This is how I handle it but if your run measurements are accurate, I don't see how you have space for it. Is it really 40 sq ft for 7 hens? Are they bantams? Do you free range at all?

 

[heather134]

Thanks for the replies!
@rosemarythyme, they used to free range daily. That's why I didn't worry about a dust bath. With my new job I can't work from home, so they only free range a bit in the evening or weekends. I don't really have room for anything extra in there, so I ended up mixing smaller wood chips, mulch, and some sand together in one half. We'll see how it goes. There weren't too many options at Lowes this time of the year (not even pine bark nuggets) so we had to improvise.

 

[SamIamNam786]

I would suggest wood pellets. I know the home depot type stores carry them as wood burning pellets, but tractor supply sells them as pelletized bedding. They are pellets that turn to sand-type dust granules as they get wet, either through rain, or if you spray with water. It's great at controlling odors, and excellent for dust bathing.