Dust Bath Help

[DanJ]

I set up a dust bath for my 16 week chickens consisting of 2/3 sand, 1/3 potting soil and bit of DE. Instead of playing/bathing in it, they pick out the brown dirt bits and eat it.

Shouldn't they just saddle right up to it?
Any suggestions? - maybe just put sand at first in it?

thanks

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I'd give them time. They are still young and learning about the big world they've been brought into. When mind were that age, they keep trying to dust bathe in their pine shavings. So I gave them a sand box and they just crapped in it.

They eventually sorted it all out.

 

[savingpurple]

I tried to make a "sand" dirt bath for mine, and they ate the sand and pooped in it, that's all. So, I let them figure it out on their own...and they have...now i just trip in the low spots when walking...LOL

 

[CC1892]

I made a dust bath from an old recipe I found in a magazine, it works well.
It is as follows:
One part Multipurpose Sand
One part Wood Ash
One part Clean soil (remove rocks etc.)
One part DE

 

[Momagain1]

hehe...mine dusbath, poo and eat the sand...they are odd creatures!