Portable Coop/Run...Do I need to provide dust bath for them?

[festivefeet]

My husband constructed a portable coop for our 6 chickens.

We wanted this type of coop/run so that our lawn would not be brought to a total dirt patch. However, with moving the coop every week or so, I am not sure the chickens will have access to a dust bath.

Should we provide them with one? Making a framed surface with sand or soil in it for them to use as a dust bath?

Here are some photos of the coop and run in progress:

Thanks.
Jessica

 

[Slywoody]

Might not be a bad idea. I'd throw some DE in with it too.

 

[patandchickens]

Oh, if your chickens are anything like mine, they'll get right to work making themselves a dustbath, by digging a pit in your lawn. Honest

You can try making them a portable one; but it will smother out the grass underneath it (may not matter if you're really going to leave them in place for a week, as the rest of the ground will get thoroughly thrashed too and the place where the dusting box was will probably end up as the *good* part

) and not all chickens seem to want to use smallish (like less than 2x2+) dusting boxes. You'll have to remove it to move the tractor of course.

No reason not to try it if you want, I just wouldn't hold my breath for it to work exactly as desired

...

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[LauraM]

This weekend we just found our chickens (8wks) trying to dust in our tractor. I went and got some ash and set it out there for them and they all seem happy, but I was just telling my dad that I can't imagine moving that around with their tractor every time. How often to they need to get thoroughly dusted? Will they do it every day? They loved the ashes. I would love to hear how other people do it with the tractor.

 

[festivefeet]

Ya, I don't know, that's why my husband was going to build some sort of tray for them in the portable unit so they could dust.

Not sure.

Will they tear up the grass in a week? There are only 6.

Jessica

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yes.

There are only 6.

But they are mighty!

On my lawn, probably comparable to yours, *2* hens in a 4x7 tractor produce an easily noticeable effect after just 1 day, and if I leave it in one place for more than 2 days it takes a month or more to start looking like the rest of the lawn again.

JME,

Pat​