Nothing like a good sand bath!

[justusnak]

Here are a few of my hens in thier new sand box. I built it for them a few days ago, and they LOVE it!!

I keep it indoors, so it will hopefully dry out. The sand was wet when I got it..but they dont seem to mind!

 

[nikkimay]

That's a great idea - they look very happy!

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I did the same type thing (gave the girls and indoor dust box), but I used the lid to a rubbermaid tote- the deep kind of lid- and it works really well.

 

[Freebie]

What a great idea, the rubbermaid lid. I have been trying to figure out what to use, I have some old dresser drawers, I was thinking of using, but I think they may be to small for a standard size chicken. Probably would work for a bantam though.

 

[CarriBrown]

Cute picture! What kind of sand did you get? Or did you find it out in the yard somewhere?
The Rubbermaid container is a great idea!!! Do you have to clean it out, or do they not poop in it?

 

[bayouchica]

Good idea !! Looks like your hens had a good time.

Miriam

 

[justusnak]

well...my son works at Wal Mart...he is CSM. He told me that they had some playground sand left from last year, and was going to clearance it due to broken bags and such. So, I got it REALLY CHEAP! The sand box, was just 4 boards left from a crate my hubby got from work...and I used the black garden cloth left over from a few years ago...stapled inside so any water can drain from the wet sand. There is no floor in the sand box...other than the black garden material. They just love it. Its about 3 x 2...and its funy to see 4 or more hens try to fit together in there.

 

[Lipkis]

Excuse me I have a question!

My mom and my chicks (six weeks gosh we joined three weeks ago!) have startd to take dustbaths in their food that they've spilled and the corn cob litter we have. We got them some sand because they were "dustbathing" and we put it in for them.

It turned out they wanted to eat in it not bathe. My question is will they figure out that sand has dual purposes? (Grint and sadbathing) You should have seen my mom I was cracking up because she was all, "I didn't believe it when people said chickens weren't all that intellegent!"

"Aw mom they're just babies."

"Babies that were probably dropped on the eggshell." Oh Mom...

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Quote:
They tend to keep it clean enough on their own by scratching in it. They kick out most everything but the sand. Then, they step out and scratch around in the bedding, nicely mixing the Sweet PDZ around - gosh, what good girls to keep the coop neat and tidy after themselves!

Which, incidentally, I am amazed at. I have about 3" of pine shavings in the coop and the girls really keep it stirred and fluffed, nothing has time to stay wet and get stinky.