Dust bath?

[Kilgharrah]

Um I read something about dust baths and I'm wondering what they are and are they necessary?

 

[Oolala]

Chickens absolutely love dust baths as its their way of having a wash. They will bury themselves down in a bowl of dust and somehow manage to flick it all over and under themselves, it also helps to keep mites and parasites off them. If they free range they will make their own areas but if they are in a pen you need to provide an area for them. Pure wood ash from a fire they love but it gets very gooey when wet.

 

[aart]

Even if they are in a run/pen,
if there's dirt to dig in they will make themselves a dust bath.

 

[Snoozeys]

Sand, dirt, wood ash, lime and D.E are only a few that can be used in a dust bath

 

[azygous]

Dust bathing areas are essential for chickens. It not only provides means for them to clean and condition their feathers, but it's a source of ultimate relaxation and socialization and flock bonding.

Even baby chicks as young as two weeks old will dirt bathe in any loose material they can find, including their crumbles.

If you don't have plain old dirt for them, peat moss makes an excellent dirt bathing medium. Sand is also good.

If your chickens are ever allowed out to free range, they've been dirt bathing whether you're aware of it or not.

 

[CoopintheWoods]

Dust baths are great. It helps chickens rid themselves of parasites, and they are funny to watch. Chickens will dust bathe in dirt, sand, of anything else. (my birds use a patch of sand in the run)

 

[Wolfgang B.]

A dustbath protected from rain is important. Or from snow in winter. Here's ours; a simple construction with a couple of bags of playground sand in it. And in winter we add the ashes from our oven.

 

[peckpeckpeck]

I use a plastic bin filled with dirt in the run. They love it when they can't get out to free range.

As others said, it helps em keep clean & free from mites. And they just love it! Spa time for the ladies!

 

[Kilgharrah]

A dustbath protected from rain is important. Or from snow in winter. Here's ours; a simple construction with a couple of bags of playground sand in it. And in winter we add the ashes from our oven.

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Do they eat the sand?

 

[aart]

Do they eat the sand?

They might, I see them pecking at it a lot when bathing.