Help with dust bath

[cmom]

Many years ago I used play sand in a kiddie pool. It seemed like when one went in it several of the others then wanted to go into it too.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I just started using DE in my coop is this a bad idea? My chicks are 9 weeks old and have dug plenty of dustbathing holes we have very fine soil they love it! I would like to find out what I should use in place of DE? I am new at BYC this is my first try at raising chickens any suggestions would be great.

Depends what you’re using the DE for. Ammonia, worms and mites or moisture. I don’t use anything in my coop anymore because they are only in there at night and I scrape poop boards every day to 2 days but I do use PDZ in my goat shelter in place of DE. It has been great for keeping down moisture and ammonia. And smell. I know lots of people that use in their coop PDZ is natural... zeolite. As far as mites and worms just general cleaning and healthy diet is the best you can do. ACV in water really boosts immune system but even the cleanest of coops can end up with problems from time to time but you can lessen it with cleanliness and healthy diet. I’ve been raising mine for 4 years and haven’t got mites or worms yet thankfully. Been lucky. But PDZ does help with moisture and ammonia if that’s a problem which will keep there general health up too. And about same price as DE. Bonus!

 

[Birdsong 82]

Many years ago I used play sand in a kiddie pool. It seemed like when one went in it several of the others then wanted to go into it too.

I’ve always noticed when one of my chickens try something they all have try. I think chickens are just like that.

 

[cmom]

This year was the first time ever I had mites. We had an exceptionally wet May. We had over a foot of rain and normally it's about 2 inches. I don't know where the mites came from. I am very careful and have a pair of shoes that I only wear around the birds and don't wear off of the property. I don't allow people in my coops or pans. I just had the state do my yearly testing. While we were testing the birds I was checking for mites too. The ones I saw on the birds before were very tiny and hard to see. I know there are different types of mites and some only come out at night and get on the birds to feed and lay their eggs. A friend suggested they could have been introduced by other animals such as wild birds and squirrels, etc. I don't know but I got rid of them and will be treating my coops regularly. Some of the girls had some feather loss. I thought it was from the male until close inspection. I sprinkled some DE in their favorite dusting places but that didn't seem to do much. Now I'm spraying the coops and nest boxes, cracks and crevices, walls, roosts anywhere mites may be hiding with Permetherin spray. The feathers are coming back in nicely now on the girls.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Yup. I think mites can get to the best of coops. Especially when they free range. Can get them from birds in the yard or squirrels just like worms from bugs and mice and such. I think I’ve been lucky so far because mine free range from about 10-11 AM to beginning of sunset All we can do is do our best to best to help it happen as little as possible. I haven’t had the problem but have heard of people using neem oil to spray in cracks and crevices to help get rid of them once their there

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Have you tried this thread?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/arizona-chickens.31227/
I'm not in AZ but here I mix equal parts soil, sand, wood ashes and agricultural lime.

Remember that "agricultural" lime and "slacked" lime are not the same thing.
"Slacked" lime may well burn the feathers right off of your chickens while "agricultureal" lime is little different from oyster shell.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I don’t use anything but dirt but good info on the lime. That’s could be a simple mistake that sounds like it could cause lots of problems

 

[miss pickles]

I was going to make a dust bath for my chickens. I went and got some sand when I got it home I discovered its Crayola colored sand. Is that safe for Chickens? Says its safe for children.

 

[April’s Zoo]

I was going to make a dust bath for my chickens. I went and got some sand when I got it home I discovered its Crayola colored sand. Is that safe for Chickens? Says its safe for children.

i think it’s probably fine, but it might make for some festively colored chickens....

 

[Backyard Bruce]

I made a dust bath box with sand dirt and DE all mixed in together, I located inside their run.
They never use it except to deposit their turds in it, instead they showed me what they want just outside their enclosure.