Dust bath, but all the dirt is wet.

[Turtles Mommy]

It has been raining alot where I live too and I am planning on getting a large tub, filling it with DE, sand, dirt and ashes (if I can round any up) and actually making a cover for it so that I can keep it
dry during the rainy times. They have worn out all the green stuff in their run and I am not comfortable letting them roam with loose dogs and cats in our neighborhood, so they are stuck in the run with the mud and have to wait for it to dry out before they can ''bathe''. Does anyone else have a setup like that and what do you use to cover the ''bathtub''?

 

[krosfyre]

I thought about getting a big covered kitty litter box from the pet store that way the lid can be removed when the weather is good or locked in place during nasty weather

 

[gander007]

Well we made our dirt bath today. It s about 18" x 18" and 5-7" deep. We used top soil, contractor sand and DE.

Oh ya them chickens are going to enjoy that alright ,,, great photo

 

[Turtles Mommy]

Thanks...and they are...look, lol. Grrr...the picture wouldn't upload.

 

[6of6chicks]

I put mine under the coop - so far has stayed completely dry even with lots of rainstorms. I used 100% peat moss and they all roll around in there together at least once a day:

 

[happyhens1972]

I thought about getting a big covered kitty litter box from the pet store that way the lid can be removed when the weather is good or locked in place during nasty weather

Most kitty litter boxes have vents to allow ammonia to escape, thereby they are not waterproof.....I tried it once as a broody box and my poor girl got soaked!

I use children's plastic play tables to cover up both my chicken feeders and their dust baths. It works a treat and the tables were only £6 each....

 

[gander007]

Quote:


Oh I like the idea of having the water under the tables but are they nailed down to keep the wind from blowing them away ???

 

[6of6chicks]

Most kitty litter boxes have vents to allow ammonia to escape, thereby they are not waterproof.....I tried it once as a broody box and my poor girl got soaked!

I use children's plastic play tables to cover up both my chicken feeders and their dust baths. It works a treat and the tables were only £6 each....

Very cool idea! Probably would make a great dust bath using a round plastic patio table & a round kiddie pool underneath - maybe shorten the legs of the table so it sits closer?

 

[happyhens1972]

Actually, these do have a hole in the foot of each leg so I could use a tent peg to hold them down if needed but I've used them for six years and never needed to yet. If they didn't come with a ready made hole, it would be easy enough to drill one in there.

 

[Turtles Mommy]

I put mine under the coop - so far has stayed completely dry even with lots of rainstorms. I used 100% peat moss and they all roll around in there together at least once a day:

Nice coop!