Dust bath help?

[Shizuka]

Hello! I searched for a thread to see if my question was already answered, and couldn't seem to find one, so please accept my apologies if I missed it somewhere (these forums are HUGE!) Anyway, I've been trying to set up a dust bath for my chickens. I got a medium sized tub from the Dollar Tree and I thought it would work great when I put DE in it, but unfortunately, the chickens almost immediately tipped it over and made it useless. On top of that, it collects rainwater, and doesn't seem to dry very easily after the rain so they can use it again. Instead, they've been using a spot under the raised coop, but they're working a hole under the wrapping around the run and coop. I'm a little nervous it'll make it easier for a predator to get in, so I'd like to discourage this, and instead provide a better dust bath area. Which brings me to my question:

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make a sturdy and comfortable dust bath area that doesn't hold water and isn't easy to kick and knock around?

 

[DobieLover]

Bury your bin in their hole under the coop but DON'T put DE in it. Just put plain old dirt in it. If you're soil is heavy clay you can mix some sand and/or peat moss in the soil.

 

[Shizuka]

Bury your bin in their hole under the coop but DON'T put DE in it. Just put plain old dirt in it. I'd you're soul soil is heavy clay you can mix some sand and/or peat moss in the soil.

The DE I have is what the feed store recommended. Is it not good? I can get a mix of sand and topsoil for them if not. Or should it be mixed with something else? Thanks for the great idea of burying the bin!

 

[DobieLover]

DE is a respiratory irritant. Lots of half educated people recommend it without knowing all the risks.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Ditto bury bin and add sand. They just need dry soil to make a bath in. I got DE in beginning I now just use in garden.

 

[3KillerBs]

I just let my chickens dig their own dustbaths whereever they want them in the run or the dirt-floored coop.

 

[aart]

I'm a little nervous it'll make it easier for a predator to get in, so I'd like to discourage this

You'll need to protect the outside of the run from predator digging and the inside from chicken digging.

Good examples of anti-dig apron installation.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wire-around-coop.1110498/#post-17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/excavation-by-birds-a-word-of-warning.1086535/

 

[WIchickMama]

I also let mine dig where they want, but recently sectioned off part of the run, cleared out the wood chips so there was just dirt and added some organic peat moss and they LOVE it and it has helped keep them from digging right next to the edge of the run

 

[jthornton]

I use a mixture of sifted dirt and wood ash (hardwood only).
This is Pig Pen... wonder how she got that name.


This one I built for my Cinnamon Queens



This is the one that the Rhode Island Red hens use.


Both use the same type of tubby and they have never tipped it over.

DON'T USE DE!

JT

 

[FBMcrazy8]

This is what I did. Just laid it out with loose bricks. I added sand and dirt from around the property to fill it up a little.