First dust bath

[debilorrah]

I went outside this morning with my fiance and all 7 chickens were dust bathing at the same time. I had never witnessed them doing it and boy oh boy was it funny. They all fought for each other holes and had blast. TOO CUTE!

 

[eeiko321]

hi
how did u get them to bath?
because today i just bought myself a planter box thingy. thats about 1.5 inches thick and the diametre is roughly 15 inches.

i filled it up with some dirt and some fine sand.
i was trying to show them how to use it... ie splashing the sand around.

even got to the extent where i picked one chicken and held it into the sand and sprinkled some sand onto it.

maybe im doing it wrong or perhaps i need time?

anything u can suggest?
thanks

 

[eeiko321]

ok...
day one with the dust bath/sand......unsuccessful.

i bought the planter tray/box which is aprox 15" diametre and 3" deep.

filled it up with clean washed sydney sand.

no luck....

i tried to show how to use it, by spashing the sand around and even at one point picking up one of the hens and sitting it in the sand and sprinkling the sand over its body.
(lol it must of been traumatised)

but yeah, no success...

im guessing i should give it time for it to natrually figure out how to use it?

 

[Brinda]

I didn't have to show mine at all. In fact, once they were let out of the coop, they scratched the grass up until they created their own little hole and bathed. They never had any older hens around to show them what to do. I think it's instinctive.

 

[chickenannie]

Yeah, I have one little roo who never dust bathes and I'm worried about him getting mites. I've tried to put him in the dust bowl and then sprinkle dirt on him but he just wonders what i'm doing! He's maladjusted in other ways too (thinks he's human, not a chicken). Needless to say he is at the bottom of the totem pole here -- NEVER defends himself.
When he was a chick, he lived with a turkey poult who liked to dirt bathe. He would imitate her. But she died and without his "buddy" he seems to have lost interest in it altogether.
I'd like to know how to "train" him to dust bathe too. Anyone?

 

[debilorrah]

I never showed them anythig. I think once they were comfortable in their new home they just did it themselves

 

[2boxers]

I never showed mine anything, either, but man have they shown me a thing or two!

 

[JennsPeeps]

Mine figured it out over the course of about 3 days when they were around a month old. Give them access and time - they'll figure it out.

Once they start, they'll dust bathe all the time.

You can hear a certain noise they make when they're doing it. It's very cute!

 

[JennsPeeps]

Mine figured it out over the course of about 3 days when they were around a month old. Give them access and time - they'll figure it out.

Once they start, they'll dust bathe all the time.

You can hear a certain noise they make when they're doing it. It's very cute!

 

[schmije]

We never showed ours anything, but they were dustbathing in wood chips when they were just a couple of weeks old. It was SO CUTE! We gave them a sandbox, but all they did was eat some sand! They preferred the woodchips and straw until we allowed them to free-range, and now they have a pit big enough for about 5 chickens dug in the dirt.