Dust boxes?

[terryg]

The easiest solution is to get an inexpensive kitty litter box. Half fill with playground sand and add about 2 cups of food-grade DE. Put out in the yard when the weather is nice. Put in the coop (if there's room) when it rains. I have 12 hens in one pen that share 1 box and it's plenty. You can see it on my livestreaming cams at www.HenCam.com (it's the purple plastic box.) The hens use this daily and there's not a louse on any of them.

 

[galanie]

The only way I can have a garden and chickens side by side is with a fence between them.

I use the term "exclosure" which keeps chickens out of garden which is in contrast to "enclosure" keeping chickens inside pen.

You use a lot of words. Who uses, in general conversation, exclosure? I guess in that way I have the gardens enclosed to exclose the chickens.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Hi Ragladysews and welcome to BYC! Both of my chicken runs are sand and there's nothing better for drainage than sand in the run if you have very wet conditions where you live. However, a dust bath is really only good if it's dry. Chickens can not get the benefit of a dust bath when dirt, sand, DE, fireplace ash or potting soil is wet. It really doesn't matter what you put in it as long as you keep it dry.

A fan posted this photo on my Facebook page today of a simple structure she made, assumably to give her flock some shade but I think this concept would work well for you in your dust-bath area: http://www.facebook.com/Egg.Carton....23953310&set=o.186188768090508&type=1&theater You wouldn't need anything this big, but you get the idea.

And here's a similar concept from Fresh Eggs Daily on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...45812686.33415.173382679370316&type=3&theater

I need tips/info on what to purchase to make a dust box. I can make the box no problem, but what to buy to put in it? I tried sand but it ended up being to wet. I have DE so I will add that. I live in NW GA and it has been very, very wet here. Trying to keep anything dry is going to be hard.

 

[MimiChick]

Probably the easiest thing to do is get one of those covered cat litter boxes. That will keep it dry and also keep whatever you use in it from going all over the place. Personally I like wood ash best. But you can use dirt, sand, ash, DE, or any combination. Good luck.

 

[SteveBaz]

Dust bath benefits
Dust bathing, chickens remove dander, feather flakes and excess oils from their skin and feathers. This encourages preening. This is when the chickens will oil their feathers using the oil gland located on the top of the tail pad to help keep the feathers in good condition and waterproof. Parasite control, Depending on the contents of the dust box, the powder or dust they bathe in may be harmful to parasites commonly found on chickens. By adding these organic powders, mites or lice can be controlled or reduced naturally. Makes for content hens and this benefit is more subjective, but the ability to do this natural action for chickens must lead to healthier hens. If you ever watch hen dust bathing, they have certain contentment to them, especially if they are relaxing in the sunshine. The fact the hens will line up to use it when new deeper dust is added speaks volumes.

DE (Diatomaceous Earth) Food Grade - Food grade diatomaceous earth is EPA approved to be mixed with grains to control mealworms and pests. Food grade diatomaceous earth makes a very effective natural insecticide. The insecticidal quality of diatomaceous earth is due to the razor sharp edges of the diatom remains. When diatomaceous earth comes in contact with the insects, the sharp edges lacerate the bugs waxy exoskeleton and then the powdery diatomaceous earth absorbs the body fluids causing death from dehydration. Food grade diatomaceous earth has been used for at least two decades as a natural wormer for livestock. Some believe diatomaceous earth scratches and dehydrates parasites. Some scientists believe that diatomaceous earth is a de-ionizer or de-energizer of worms or parasites. Regardless, people report definite control. To be most effective, food grade diatomaceous earth must be fed long enough to catch all newly hatching eggs or cycling of the worms through the lungs and back to the stomach. A minimum of 60 days is suggested by many, 90 days is advised for lungworms. Best yet, parasites don’t build up a tolerance/immunity to its chemical reaction, so rotation of wormers is unnecessary. Internal feeding of food grade diatomaceous earth helps eliminate most internal worms, including roundworms, pin worms, tapeworms, etc. It's also excellent when fed daily to keep down fly loads, since food grade diatomaceous earth is eliminated from the body, exactly the way it went in, it helps reduce the manure odor and kills flies that come in contact with it. Mix in animal feed or grain and/or feed free choice. Our goats, fowl, and dogs eat it free choice. DE is primarily used for the control of external parasites, and as a wormer when using food grade DE. Diatomaceous (die-uh-toe-may-shus) "DE", as diatomaceous earth is abbreviated, has the neat quality of killing insects. It's perfect for natural insect control. It is 100% ecologically safe to the environment and non-poisonous to man and beast. In fact, if you've eaten anything made with flour you've eaten DE. It's used in commercial grain storage as a means of natural, poison-free, insect control. Worming add 2% D.E. to your feed to reduce, or eliminate internal parasites and worms. Delousing your birds to help control external parasites like red mites, and lice. You will also need to spread this liberally on roosts, bedding areas, and dusting spots. Take care not to inhale the dust, as it can cause lung problems. Run down system food with protein I would separate her in a kennel away from your other birds in the event it may be contagious. I would set up a little pet hospital with good lighting so your bird is not locked up and being punished but in a warmer area with lighting and a hospital environment. A large Dog Kennel would do very well. Feed this girl/roo foods that offer substance like eggs (scrambled or hard boiled or fried), flax seed, linseed, sunflower seed no shells ground up, broccoli & cauliflower crushed up, cooked chicken minced up in a food processor, corn frozen in a bag and steamed, meal-worms, cottage cheese with flax seed, linseed, sunflower seed no shells ground up in it. Foods that deliver a punch to the digestive system. As far as respiratory tract and internal part the doctor took car of that for 2 weeks so do your job and feed her great nutritional stuff. Best of luck

 

[guineachicken]

I never knew I was supposed to give them a dust bath???? Is this something I should put in their coop? They do get to run free during the daylight hours... I notice they dig holes in the middle of my yard.... They go in my horse stalls as well... Should I put something in their coop? How do I do it? and also what is DE....
Thanks... am I a bad mom....

 

[SteveBaz]

I never knew I was supposed to give them a dust bath???? Is this something I should put in their coop? They do get to run free during the daylight hours... I notice they dig holes in the middle of my yard.... They go in my horse stalls as well... Should I put something in their coop? How do I do it? and also what is DE....
Thanks... am I a bad mom....

guineachicken,

The chicken covers its body with dirt and it smothers all the critters and kills them. Read my info above on DE and it will explain it and what the benifits and the purpose.
Here is a couple of tubs I use. One in the coop and and pictures of the other when the kids were little.

 

[floridagrown]

now that my coop and run are done can i use the leftover wood to burn and save the ashes for the chickens dusting boxes?

 

[aart]

now that my coop and run are done can i use the leftover wood to burn and save the ashes for the chickens dusting boxes?

Probably...BUT......DO NOT burn any treated wood, the fumes/smoke can be highly toxic.

 

[sunflour]

I need tips/info on what to purchase to make a dust box. I can make the box no problem, but what to buy to put in it? I tried sand but it ended up being to wet. I have DE so I will add that. I live in NW GA and it has been very, very wet here. Trying to keep anything dry is going to be hard.

What about a covered child's sand box?

Photo in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/82023/sand-bath