Dust bath ingredients

[ajlynco]

If I use ashes in my dust bath mixture, does it matter whether they come from a fireplace or a pellet stove, or even a garbage burn for that matter? Also, is the ratio equal parts ash, DE, and sand?

 

[SteveBaz]

No it doesn't matter for the ash.
DE diatomaceous earth can be mixed with sand or filtered dirt by adding 5to2 I mixup 15 lbs of sand in a tub with 6 lbs bottle of DE;

 

[MimiChick]

I use just plain wood ash without sand, dirt or anything else. Seems to work great, doesn't freeze in the winter and the girls love it.

 

[Peachesbabychick]

I use a mixture of wood ash, sand, top soil, and fine powder dirt that is by a rotting tree. It is a great combo!

 

[darkmatter]

I use sand from the creek (free for the hauling) and wood ashes from my stove. The sand from the creek is multiple grain size, and I noticed the chickens when taking their dust bath will eat the pebbles for gizzard grit. When I butcher a chicken, I check the gizzard and fine all kinds of polished grit--quartz, granite, and other microcrystalline agates.

 

[goldies99]

i use euqal parts of ash....(any kind of ash).....dirt....and ...saw dust