Dust Bath

[Beachykeen]

I know it is important for chickens to have a dust bath in either dirt or sand but mine ( Easter Eagger 2, RIR1, and Black Sex linked)hatched on October 17 could not care less about doing it. We are in Southern California and I have provided a space both inside and outside the run for them to take a dust bath but they still "dust bath" in the pine shavings inside the coop. What am I not providing for them?

 

[Clay Mudd]

You're not doing anything wrong -- they just like to bathe in the shavings! My chickens have found about 4 different spots around the property where they can bathe in fine, dry dirt, but they'll still dig a hole in the bedding to bathe now and then. I haven't actuallly provided them a dust bath since the first batch were chicks.

 

[Beachykeen]

Thanks Clay. My girls don't even start to scratch in the ground unless I start scratching with my garden claw. I draw the line at rolling in the dirt to get them started

 

[Going Bhonkers]

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You're providing them with both dirt & sand and they still are choosing the shavings? Hmmm... could it be that the dust bath areas are too compact for them to bathe in, that is, maybe the dirt is packed to tight? But still... I would think they would scratch/ peck at it to "fluff" it up. Would you mind sharing a picture of the run?