Putting a 'tub' underground for dust bath?

[critterlover]

My chickens are starting to dig a hole in the corner of the run to bathe themselves in the dirt. This is a bad spot for them to be doing this. Has anyone ever dug a hole in the ground and placed a 'tub' type of container or small kiddie pool so it is at ground level and then placed sand/dirt in that so the chickens can bathe? They would think they are digging in the earth, but not causing any damage.

 

[BBK]

My girls were digging near the fence also, which i was a little concern. So I took our bag of peat moss and dumped a big pile in the middle of the run... they now lay all over the middle section of the run and look liek they're enjoying it ...they LOVE peat moss...

I don't think you need to put a tub in there, unless you have one on hand, but I won't go out and buy one.

Melinda

 

[twentynine]

Wouldn't the tub fill with water when it rained?

 

[newchicksnducks]

I agree, the tub would hold rainwater. Try loosening up the dirt in a section of the run with similar lighting (some chickens like to sunbathe, some seem to like the cool shade). That has helped me in placing an appropriately located dust bath for my chickens. I'm sure the peat moss would be a lovely treat to dust in.

 

[DarkWolf]

It's called a drill...

You can pick these up fairly cheap at feed stores.. Drill holes in the corners (not the bottom) and fill it up with stuff. Just leave it above ground.

I did play sand half full in a spare I had laying around and they moved mucking about in it.

It's heavy enough by itself to where they can not move, flip, disturb it. With stuff added, it's immobile.

Here's one that comes to mind.. Not sure how wide it is though... Not as important to have it deep as wide. So long as there's 5" of material or so there to dig into and push over their backs, they're happy.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/livestock/livestock-buckets-tubs/1-3-bushel-feeder-pan-(3-gal)-2171213

 

[darkmatter]

I use a old tractor tire filled with sand and wood ashes. The chickens love it and after they dust bath in the wood ashes, they will get up and ruffle their feathers----it looks like a smoke cloud with a chicken in the middle. Its amazing how often I have to refill the tire with sand from the creek and a bucket of wood ashes from the metal garbage can that I use to dump my wood stove ashes from in the winter. The sand helps drain the wet when it rains, the tire helps hold everything in one place, the ashes help prevent lice/mites, the sand also provides grit for their gizzard. I only occasionally need to spade/fork up the mixture.

 

[Tecalli]

I've got three pullets and got a kitty litter pan from WalMart and filled it with play sand and put it in their coop. That way it always stays dry. After ignoring it for the first week they now love it. In addition to taking sand baths in it, they seem to really like sitting in it during the hot afternoon weather.

 

[kitaye]

We had an old copper fire pit bowl that I filled with sand and they love it. I've also added a small plastic try of sand to their coop. they don't like it as well because it will only hold 1 at a time.

 

[DarkWolf]

Thing about the sand is it's great for hot days. So long as it's in the shade, it can easily cool them off if they get too hot. They just have to dig down into it and cover up.

 

[critterlover]

DarkWolf, that container is exactly what I have and thought of using. I was also thinking of drilling holes for drainage.

They had only dug a small amount in the corner. Well yesterday it was very humid and hot here and the hole is twice the size now!

I was thinking of adding half sand and half potting soil (untreated) along with some DE. Part of my run is covered, but the corner they have dug is not covered.