peachicks dusting

[KsKingBee]

I do that, if they have a favorite dusting area outside it is usually under a roof of some type so it stays fairly dry and I will sneak out every so often and mix a bunch of Sevin into the loose dirt.

I had been noticing lately that I would have lice crawling on me after visiting the brooder house. I thought it was the broody chicken hens, 14 of them out there, who had the lice. I always blame the chickens first for everything.

So I went out with the Sevin and put about two tablespoons on each ones back and worked it into the feathers. Yesterday I noticed a louse on SweePeas back.

So getting those hugs from my favorite girl comes with a price. If one kid has them, they all have them. My last dust bowl I made ala Zaz turned into a mud bowl and with so much rain I haven't freshened it up.

I made dust bowls for all the pens using sand, peat, dirt, and wood ash using large plastic or rubber tubs. All the bowls in the breeder pens are under the roof, but now they have turned into nest boxes so now to do something else.

 

[KsKingBee]

How i can make some peachicks do the dust bath? I had 3 peachicks i believe they never had a dust bath.

Using the dishpan like Zaz does is a really good idea, just put some loose dirt and sand in it and place in a sunny, or in your case, a well lit area. I notice that the peas like to lay in the sun to dust bathe, so maybe put a lamp over your pan will entice them to use it.

I am just not sure about how much Sevin may be too much.

 

[msmolly]

Just saw this idea of making a sandbox inside a small tent and thought it might be applied to a dust bath for the birds. Everytime i try to make a good dust bowl for my peafowl and chickens, it gets flooded, trashed or the cats use it for a litterbox. It would be great if this tent idea worked, but what are the chances of my birds going into the tent?? Has any one tried this?

 

[msmolly]

My bird's dust bath is filled with rain water, again. Meanwhile, found this on peahen! Yikes! What is it, and will a regular dust bath of Red Earth, Wood Ash and Sand treat them?

 

[Dany12]

The more simple ... the best !

Any type of soil .... must be soft ... should be slightly damp.
Not sure that the sand is the best ... too heavy!
Wet sand is like concrete!

 

[KsKingBee]

My bird's dust bath is filled with rain water, again. Meanwhile, found this on peahen! Yikes! What is it, and will a regular dust bath of Red Earth, Wood Ash and Sand treat them?

That appears to be a mite. Mites live on the roosts and cracks and crevices of the coop and need to be treated with Permethrin. The bird should be treated with Ivermec Pour-On, 0.50 ml divided up on the skin between the shoulders, above the butt fluff, and a drop on the base of the crest. Repeat in ten days.