Dust Baths.

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

What do you use for a dust bath? An old tire? A kitty litter box? A retired sandbox? Post some photos and let us know!

Some of you may know I recently made a dust bath for my chickens inside the run, but I never posted photos. And guess what? They use it! What are the odds, right?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Mine is built in to the run..... this area sits between coop and garage which is an area that is always dry and shady. I had DH cap off both ends and it's filled with a mix of sand, soil and peat moss.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Mine is built in to the run..... this area sits between coop and garage which is an area that is always dry and shady. I had DH cap off both ends and it's filled with a mix of sand, soil and peat moss.View attachment 1098316

I've seen your coop page! I wondered what was back there. Nice!

 

[XanderWiFi]

I recently put together a couple 1x4s to make a nice 1'x2' dust bath box for the chickens. Feeling proud of myself I put some landscaping paper on the bottom of it, placed it and filled it with sand and DE.

They hate it lol.

Not one has bathed in it yet. Does their have to be dirt or material other than sand? Ironically, I raked out their run the other day and went to get the shovel to scoop out the shavings, dirt, etc. I turned around to find them dust bathing in that! Flinging it all over themselves the dirty birds.

So how do i get them to like my dust bath? haha.

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

I put out a nice load of wood ashes, dirt, and sand in a big busboy bin. I was so pleased with myself.
They walk around in it, pick out bits of charcoal to eat, and poop in it.
They dust bathe in little pits that they have created, usually under the coop.
Go figure.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

We use an old, galvanized, oval washtub filled with wood ash and peat moss.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

I recently put together a couple 1x4s to make a nice 1'x2' dust bath box for the chickens. Feeling proud of myself I put some landscaping paper on the bottom of it, placed it and filled it with sand and DE.

They hate it lol.

Not one has bathed in it yet. Does their have to be dirt or material other than sand? Ironically, I raked out their run the other day and went to get the shovel to scoop out the shavings, dirt, etc. I turned around to find them dust bathing in that! Flinging it all over themselves the dirty birds.

So how do i get them to like my dust bath? haha.

I kept mine cooped up for a bit, and they learned to use it. Of course, chickens do as chickens please, so no guarantee.

I put out a nice load of wood ashes, dirt, and sand in a big busboy bin. I was so pleased with myself.
They walk around in it, pick out bits of charcoal to eat, and poop in it.
They dust bathe in little pits that they have created, usually under the coop.
Go figure.

Poop is an important ingredient, human! Don't think you can control us. We are wild and untamed.

We use an old, galvanized, oval washtub filled with wood ash and peat moss.

Great! I bet you can move yours around. At least a little bit. Moss sounds great. I would be too tempted to use the tub for magazines or something. We have them all over the house, now. Go figure.

 

[OzarkF&G]

We use old tires for both dust baths and perimeter planting/predator proofing. The ones on the inside for dusting are filled with dirt, sand, ash, and de. The planted ones are top soil and about 20 kinds of mint. though 4 are filled with lilac bushes and 2 more with unknown viney/climbing plant. We had two with dill but the teen chicks decided to snack on that... The mint has done wonders with insect prevention as a bonus.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

We use old tires for both dust baths and perimeter planting/predator proofing. The ones on the inside for dusting are filled with dirt, sand, ash, and de. The planted ones are top soil and about 20 kinds of mint. though 4 are filled with lilac bushes and 2 more with unknown viney/climbing plant. We had two with dill but the teen chicks decided to snack on that... The mint has done wonders with insect prevention as a bonus.

Wow. Awesome. We don't have a lot of live plants, let alone herbs around here. Chickens do our landscaping, you know...

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use a smallish premade raised garden bed (it was like $25) filled with peat moss. They usually use it but sometimes one of them will dig up dirt from another area and they'll all roll around in that for a day.