dust bath

[kmyers]

we made a dust bath out of an old tire its in the run. Does it matter if the sand and stuff get wet from rain or snow? Also what should we put in a duster for them? thanks

 

[minihorse927]

No it won't hurt if it gets wet. Sand drains well so shouldn't take long to dry out.

What do you mean by duster?

 

[kmyers]

Is it just sand I am suppesed to use as the dust bath?

 

[minihorse927]

People mix multiple things into duat baths. I've seen sand, wood ashes, dirt and grass, peat moss, DE (although I dont recommend DE). I'm sure others have used other things.

 

[psychochickn]

In my experience dust bath areas work best when they are dry. Chickens take dust baths to reduce parasites such as mites and lice. If that area is wet it has no effect on parasites, and your flock may not use it as much. We also made a dirt bath area out of sand, and the girls love it. Ours is covered with tin roofing. Sprinkling DE is another great way to help them keep parasitic activity to a minimum.

 

[redsoxs]

I also tend to think dust is better than sand as the grains of sand might be too large for effective dusting.

 

[QueenMisha]

While it won't hurt a dust bathing area to get wet, the chickens probably won't use them when they are, especially during the cold season. If it's covered, they'll be much more likely to use it during the winter. Although, adversely, they seem to prefer it when it's slightly damp during the summer.

I find the ideal dust bath to include sand, a small amount of wood ash, and mainly consist of very fine dusty dirt (the sort one might find on a curve of a frequently driven dirt road).

 

[CuzChickens]

Hello there, and welcome to Backyard Chickens! I agree that dust bathing areas should be kept dry. A tire sounds like a great idea, I might try that! Enjoy BYC!

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[N F C]

When we lived in FL, our native soil was primarily sand and the chickens loved dust bathing in it (but only when dry). I can't recall them ever bathing in the wet sand but they did enjoy standing on wet sand when the outside temperature was hot.

Hope you are enjoying your flock. Thanks for joining us!