How do you make a dust bath?

[chook rescuer]

Thanks for all your wonderful comments they were warmly appreciated,any more would be fab, but I think I have enough information for now.

Thanks

 

[Little Peep]

such good ideas We just made a coop and they dust bath in the dirt!

 

[BeccaSmith]

I was wondering the same thing, what to use to make a chicken dust bath, with the cold temps, snow, freezing rain, & rain, there hasn't been anywhere for my girls to really dust bath and the coop is full of pine shavings so there isn't really a place in there either. I'd was thinking of getting a container and putting a bag of topsoil, peat moss and some sand in it for them, I'm just afraid I won't be able to keep them from pooping in it and making it disgusting!

 

[Thefarmersmistress]

diatomaceous earth Diatomaceous earth is a natural material made from little plants that are fossilized. These are ground up, and used as an organic pesticide or as a filtering agent.

 

[countrydream7]

that's what I was told use fireplace ash it will be a good dust for them and mites/ lice

 

[Chickens R Us]

In the winter I put wood ash with a little DE sprinkled in a kitty litter box, in the summer they make their own dust baths.

 

[countrydream7]

will this keep the lice and mites off them though

 

[Eggnog101]

I myself filled a hole with sand, they love bathing in it

 

[Amy F]

is it posible to just use sand

 

[3KillerBs]

My chickens dig big holes under the raised coop in damp weather and right in the middle of the run in dry weather. They dig in the shavings in the coop when its really soggy out.

I put a little wood ash down when I freshen the bedding in the run. Not too much though.