Dust Bath Material

[tdbrueggen]

This May sound silly, but what do people use for internal dust baths? Obviously the bird will just dig a hole outside where they want, but I'd like to get them a basin in the coop. Would pure DE be overkill, or too fine? If like some DE for the parasite removal, but what else to mix in?

 

[farmtotable]

I use a mix of dry dirt and DE and they seem to love it. I've also heard you can use sand....

 

[farmtotable]

PS - no such thing as silly questions! If you don't ask, how will you learn?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I use woodstove ashes, DE, sand. Whatever I have on hand seasonally. I have mine outside under cover...I wouldn't put woodstove ashes inside a structure due to sparks still alive even one month later I have read.

I use a fire pit for the bath. So metal. Any sparks won't catch fire. Of course these are cooled ashes.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/701021/share-your-pictures-of-dust-dirt-baths
You may enjoy this thread.

 

[tdbrueggen]

Very nice, thanks to all for the replies.

Indeed there is no such thing as a stupid question, but it seems rather silly to ask what material to use to make a dust bath..."uh...dust!"

I suppose I can just whip up a batch of wood shavings and DE for them. I was just concerned that pure DE might be too dusty and give them respiratory problems or something like that. I wonder if I can just cut a bucket lid in half, then lay it on it's side and fill a few inches to make a sufficient and weather tight dust bath. Should be simple enough.

 

[trudyg]

I use a plastic tote laying on its side. I cut a hole in the lid so they can get in but the dirt won't spill out. I use peat moss w/ some dirt and DE. They're so funny, they wait for me to move it so they can get the crickets underneath it. Once, there was a great big, fat lizard thing (black with spots), really sluggy looking. They had a great time with him!

 

[juanmmg54]

La ceniza de madera es muy buena para desparasitar las aves, y a ellas les gusta mucho tomar esos baños, una forma de ponerlo seria en la cubierta de una rueda, echando la ceniza en el centro.de la misma.

 

[ampho]

I use a dishpan with childrens playsand! They love it! and it scoops clean with my "strainer scoop" just like the poop boards.

 

[BrickWall Honey]

I would not use straight DE, mix a cup of DE with a bag of play sand and put in a cheap kitty litter pan/box. Hardwood ashes also work very good. They will much appreciate a dusting area inside when the ground gets frozen.