Dust Bath Recipe?

[ADozenGirlz]

Our run is made of sand and we are really happy with it as far as keeping the girlz's feet dry. We have it covered with heavy plastic in the winter to keep the snow out. However, in the winter the sand freezes solid like a rock and the chickens do their dust bathing in the coop shavings. I'd love to create a dust bath in the run. Does anyone have any ideas for how-to? I've heard that play sand and fireplace ash are part of a good dust bath, but I've got white chickens (don't want 'em grey) and a gas fireplace (no access to ashes). Thanks!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

A dish pan of potting soil in their coop should do the job for the winter

 

[greenpeeps]

We use ashes from our woodburner, and sometimes I add a little sand. The white chickens are only grey untill they shake off, which is so fun to watch.

 

[catdaddy66]

I have read equal parts sand and peat moss is good

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I have white chickens too, it's inevitable they will get dirty. May as well toss them some ash or potting soil.

 

[chicksrule1]

I have a dusting bath room under the coop and i put potting soil, play sand, food grade diatomatous earth. It is mostly potting soil, and the other things are added until it looks like a good mix- no exact measurments.

 

[Sissy]

We have burned a lot of trees,
is that ash safe to use. no trees were infested.

 

[plfreitag]

Tree ash is fine. I use ash, dirt and Diatomaceous Earth, food grade. It helps with mites and lice. Now my birds will dust bathe in the coop shavings no matter what I do, so I just let them do it. I just wish they didn't do it right by the people-door; they look at me all annoyed-like when I have to come in to check for eggs or to make sure there's enough water in the water thing and that the heater is still working so the water doesn't freeze.

 

[emys]

equal parts sand and peat moss is good

This gives them the scratch they crave and the earthy smell they love, and no grey birds.​

 

[Tonopah Pati]

I use pine shavings on top of the dirt in the pens. Some food grade DE. They dig holes and have several dust bath paces. Inside the plastic playhouse coop, as It has a dirt floor. They love it. I do have a Sultan Roo that everyone picks on and at his feet until they bleed. I have had to take him away from his flock mates, and the big chickens. For now, he is living in a large Parrot cage. It sets on a stand and has wheels. There is a deep bottom in it. I dug the dirt and shavings out of the pen area he had always lived in. Put it in a dish pan for him. It seemed like he knew it was dirt from the get go. He jumped right in the dishpan and started dust bathing. He uses it often. I then put pine shavings in the rest of the bottom. I think I will put the dirt shaving, DE mix in the bottom and do away with the tub. It is really easy to lift the cage off of the bottom. I can then lift the bottom out to dump, put new dirt mix in when needed. My big chickens have Hutches, and all sorts of branch roosts, in their pen area. I turn over the pine shavings when needed. They get in there and have a digging and kicking party. If it gets wet I turn it over several times. I think it also helps keep their feet from burning in the summer month's. I have a large Camo netting over the top for shade. A couple areas have tarp over it. The roost area and hutch roofs. There feeders are out in the pen area. Those are covered. I don't rake out the Poo in the winter. It gets turned over and new shavings mix, added under the roost area. It helps creating some heat.
I have 3 white chickens, a bantam cochin, bantam Frizzle and A sultan Roo. The one in the cage. They will all be brown. when they are finished bathing they shake it off and before your eyes, they are back white.