Introducing sand bath

[jdoane]

My chicks have been "bathing" in their shaving and spilled food! So I figured it was time to provide a sand bath. I made a tray (using a container that is about 8"x12"x3" Filled it will construction sand some DE and some ashes. A few are interested in it but they are mainly using it for a big grit cup! LOL. Anything special I should do with it? Do I leave it accessible all the time?

 

[GD91]

Might as well leave it so they have constant access, don't have one for mine yet, but they get let out daily & do their thing in my best flowerbed.

Oh well

summers nearly over in the north west anyway.

 

[aggiemae]

Chickens do not like change. They will dust in the shavings until one of them figures out that they can dust in the sand and the rest will follow along. This is pretty much what happens with roosting, using the nest box and pretty much anything new. You can expect the sand to get everywhere including in the food and water.

 

[jdoane]

I left the "sand tray" in the brooder this morning while we were out and about. I didn't see it but I'm pretty sure at least one chicken bathed. Sand EVERYWHERE!!!! LOL

 

[jdoane]

Although I'm not leaving the sand tray in the brooder all day (takes up too much room) I do make it accessible regularly. This morning I put it in right after cleaning out the brooder and before I put food and water back in. They went to town! My two largest chicks took LONG dust baths. They looked like pigpen from Peanuts!!! What fun!

Now their one month pictures will have to wait until later in the day when they aren't all solid grey!