not dust bathing in the right place

[my3jsons]

I thought I was so good giving my chickens a new place to dust bathe. I bought a galvanized pan at Tractor Supply and sand from Home Depot and dug a spot in their yard to sink it into. Then I stood back to watch. Those silly chickens are dust bathing in the fresh dirt right next to the pan! I haven't seen one in the pan except to use it as a little box! I guess, I should have just dug up the dirt.

"Thanks chicken mama, we love the dirt, but what is the pan here for?"

 

[ColoradoMike]

"You can lead a chicken to a nice custom-made dust bath, but you can't make her use it!"

 

[Prodigal son]

Kind of reminds me of when our daughters were little. We would buy them a Christmas or b-day gift, they'd unwrap it, take the toy out then play in the box!

 

[Chicky Tocks]

LOL

It's not big enough for them all to get into together. I tried this as well.

This is my buff orpington's (and a couple of resident EE's) favorite dust bathing spot. When I open the pen to freerange, they all head straight to this little bowled out area next to our carport. I am constantly sweeping the dirt off of the driveway. I can't get them to move.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Chickens like to all pile in, or at least try to get in on the act once one is down. I think they'll find that nice shiny platter of sand soon enough.

 

[bethandjoeync]

too funny!

maybe they liked the dirt you stirred around when digging the whole to put the pan in. lol

 

[sixinva]

Not many chickens want to willingly jump into a pan

 

[columbiacritter]

Mine have never dust bathed in a convenient spot. Never ever. When we had 2 yards of sand delivered and piled in the driveway they ignored it completely and dust bathed in the newly planted flowerbed.