Couple questions about dusting with wood ashes

[Country4ever]

As I mentioned in another post, I have a very old hen with mites. I dusted her with diatomaceous earth a couple days ago. I was ready to go buy Sevin today, but decided to super-dust my 3 old hens in wood ashes. From googling, it sounds like wood ashes work well.

Questions: I dumped the ashes I used on them into the coop bedding.....which is about 3" deep. Was that okay to do? I imagine the mites run from the ashes during dusting, rather than fall off. (I guess I should have asked this question before dusting!)
Next, it's drizzling out and might rain later. I'm thinking it's best to keep them inside the coop for today.....otherwise the wood ashes would get rinsed off. (they love to stand in the rain). Is there a time-limit when they could go out again?

I have totally forgotten about how important dust-bathing is, and this spring/summer has been fairly wet and they really didn't have any place in their run to dustbathe. Can I just always make sure there's alot of wood ashes mixed into their in-coop bedding (which is fine wood shavings)? Might this be a respiratory problem if it's inside the coop? (10x10).

I have to say there was a great video somewhere online (can't remember if it was from here or not) that showed a person with garden gloves on and a mask and they had a big container with lots of wood ashes and they just rubbed the heck out of the chickens in it. I'm really glad I saw this. Up to now, I would just sprinkle DE or wood ash on them, but this other method is great! You can really rub it in, and get absolutely everywhere on their body, by turning them in every direction in the ashes.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Chick Charm]

Yes wood ash is great. Put it in a gunny sack and the chicken also and completely cover the bird in it. Great for the chicken. Ashes in the coop bedding is good.

Dust bathing access is necessary multiple times every day to keep a chicken healthy & happy.

Sevin will be more effective on mites & lice if you have them. Sevin in the coop bedding and on the roosts will usually do the trick.

Wish ya the best.

 

[Country4ever]

Thanks Chick Charm.
I'm trying to avoid a harsh chemical, so I'll see how the wood ash does.
Should I assume they shouldn't go out in the rain for awhile? Any idea how long?
Thanks!

 

[Chick Charm]

I would think you should be ok repeatedly using ashes. I would guess if ashes were available to them on a daily basis they would use them. When I burn my stumps and grass my chickens love to bath and even eat the ashes. My ashes rarely last more than a couple of weeks. The chickens get full use out of them though.

As you already may know sevin is very potent. Ashes are not toxic like the sevin.

 

[Chick Charm]

Even if they go in the rain you can simply give em more ashes. Would be a bit messy though.