question about charcoal ash

[Keene's coop]

i know you can use burned wood ash (sifted) mixed with sand and dirt for the chickens dust bath. but what about charcoal ash? it's mixed in with other ingredients. what are everyones thoughts about it?

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

All I can tell you is that my free range chickens dust bathe in the pile that DH dumps from the grill.
He doesn't use any chemical charcoal lighter fluid, though. I don't know if that would make a difference.

IMO, wood ash would be better, but I've not had any health problems conected to the charcoal ash as of yet.

Jean

 

[Keene's coop]

we start ours with newspaper and a lighter, no luid. i just don't know if there is chemicals that could harm the birds.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If it's natural lump hardwood charcoal it should be OK if the ashes were clean as in not full of meat drippings and such.

If it was from charcoal briquettes I would not use it. Too much non-wood stuff in those.

.....Alan.

 

[Organics North]

If it were me I would not use the ash from the processed briquettes. Only from the hardwood lump or from a camp fire. Be careful....Water + ash = lye
ON

 

[Keene's coop]

thanks. i kinda knew the answer, i just wanted to make sure.