Dust Bath containers

[ll]

Quote:
Mine started dustbathing at only weeks old, as soon as I gave them sand. They enjoyed it even as baby chicks!

 

[TinyChickenLady]

Sooooo is this a requirement or a guideline? I didn't realize they needed a dustbathing option LoL my bad. It will be an easy fix to add on because I like the blue pool idea. Is this something I should do?

 

[Hopefulloflove]

Wow, I had read about the dust bathing, but didn't know it was something they needed. got to work on that one! I love this board and all the info! Thanks everyone!

 

[Rosaleen]

My run was built using recyced materials. Part of one wall is an eight foot tall ( 6 foot wide) wall unit. I removed the upper shelves and put a roost. The bottom section of the unit has a stationery shelf and sliding doors. I have this shelf covered with a sheet of plastic and shavings to collect the droppings. I removed one of the sliding doors and I also removed the inner shelves. I then put two long plastic sweater boxes in this inner cupboard which fit nicely. The remaining sliding door is placed in the center overlapping both boxes. The boxes are filled with DE, sand, wood ash, dirt, etc. As long as the weather is fair, I let my girls stay in the run overnight and they stay up on that 6-foot roost. When I come out in the morning, they are usually in the dust bath. Not too much 'dust' is lost since the boxes are pretty much surrounded by the unit itself. They should start laying sometime in Oct., by then the weather will be cooler (we live in VT) and they'll be spending their nights in the coop (nesting boxes are in the coop) but they'll have access to the run all winter. I plan to put up clear plastic around the run to prevent the snow from coming in. They'll be able to take their baths all winter long.

 

[train2110]

I don't know if a dustbath is something they NEED. All birds, not just chickens, have an instint to dust themselfs. It provides relief from bugs and helps keep themselves clean. They will create their own area in the yard if one is not provided. We use DE, woodash, sand, and potting soil, mixed in equal amounts, in ours. For the first ten days or so no one would go near it. Then one day one of the older EE's jumped in and started to dust. Within five minutes they where all lining up to get in. It is very funny to watch them kick it around, shot some nice video of it this spring.

 

[CupOJoe42]

You can drill holes (or remove the bottom and put screening) in an old dresser drawer and fill with a mixture of sand and DE. You can also use flower pots or long rectangular window boxes.

 

[sunnyvera]

We picked up a child's sandbox out of the trash - who cares if it leaks, we drilled holes in it and added sand. I like the idea of adding peat and ash and DE. The girls love it. The container keeps the sand in one place. Previously, we put a pile of sand in one area of the run - WELL before you know it they had it all spread all over and very thinned out. I could see how frustrated they were because there was not as much sand to fling around. They are funny to watch.

 

[RHRanch]

IMO They need it - it helps them maintain feather condition and keeps the bugs down. Plus, they really love it. I free range my layers flock, but have dust tubs in my breeder pens. You can use and container that keeps the sand in. My free rangers lay in little shallow wallows that they have dug all over the yard - usually in the sun. Some are so deep that when they go into the wallow, you can't see them in there. lol

 

[TrystInn]

We use a thrift shop find - a covered cat litter box. Not only does it keep the sand in, its easy to port around due to the handle on top.

 

[Shell-in-NE]

We're thinking of using a steal washtub with just the DE, for the winter inside the chicken house. Now I'm seeing people mention adding sand to it. Is adding sand to help minimize dust flying from the DE, and also to provide more grit for the chickens?
What grade of sand is used, or doesn't it matter?