I plan on adding a dust bath tomorrow to our run tomorrow. We don't have enough room in the coop, so I plan on covering the top of the coop with a tarp for the winter to help keep moisture out of it.
My idea is to use an old tire and fill it with fine dirt, ash from the central boiler, and some DE. When they aren't using it, I will put an old spare tire cover over it. - Does that seem like a good idea? Are there any contraindications that anyone can think of that I'm not coming up with? I don't want to harm them due to my ignorance in anyway.
Another Idea I had was to use one of the nesting boxes and putting a lip in the front to hold in the dust bath better. The 6 of my hens only use one of the three nesting boxes, so I don't think they'll miss one of them, and they LOVE fluffing in anything they can.
I was letting them free range Sunday and panicked because I couldn't find them anywhere.... They had made their way to the walkout and were scratching up the dirt to roll around in the only spot in the yard there was dirt dry enough.
What have you done for a dust bath?
My idea is to use an old tire and fill it with fine dirt, ash from the central boiler, and some DE. When they aren't using it, I will put an old spare tire cover over it. - Does that seem like a good idea? Are there any contraindications that anyone can think of that I'm not coming up with? I don't want to harm them due to my ignorance in anyway.
Another Idea I had was to use one of the nesting boxes and putting a lip in the front to hold in the dust bath better. The 6 of my hens only use one of the three nesting boxes, so I don't think they'll miss one of them, and they LOVE fluffing in anything they can.
I was letting them free range Sunday and panicked because I couldn't find them anywhere.... They had made their way to the walkout and were scratching up the dirt to roll around in the only spot in the yard there was dirt dry enough.
What have you done for a dust bath?
I'll post some pictures after lunch.
