Dust bath ingredients and set-up?

[JanieMarie]

I have an underbed plastic storage box in the coop with wood ash and sand in it. My chickens free range but prefer to go back in the coop to bathe in the ashes. And never had any mites or lice for years. (better knock on wood and then burn it!)

 

[SpunkyTheMonkey]

Quote:
only if they have access to dirt...not all of our chickens do for one reason or another

i've also read 1/3 dirt, 1/3 sand, 1/3 ash (+ little bit of DE if you have it).

we just use a biiiiiig plastic bowl full of dirt dust.

 

[MIKE555444]

I have a seperate 8 ft x 8 ft run just for dust bath. I have it partly covered with an old tarp to help give some shade and keep out some of the rain. I have add sand and often take my shovel in and dig up some fresh dirt and stir it all up.

They love it

 

[Luvroos]

You had mentioned ashes from grills/ cook outs! Would charcoal briquettes ashes work also and or do they have to many chemicals in them, regardless of being bunred?

 

[heatherndoug]

We have a lot of bonfires and the chickens with out fail will dirt bathe in the ashes. They love it. You can see them get up and shake a puff of gray ash flies about.