Sand Box for dust bathing

[Lin20]

Hello everyone, I need ideas to set up an area in the chicken enclosure for their dust bathing. Can you please post pics of what you have if possible, so I can get some ideas? That's the one item that's missing in the enclosure. Not sure to build or get a plastic box to fill with sand. Thanks in advance

 

[ChickenMammX4]

Mine dust bath in a big galvanized tub. It's mostly filled with ash from the fireplace & peat humus.

 

[fischnchix]

This is what I am thinking about making. Not sure what to fill it with. My garden soil had a little bit of lime tilled in this spring. Would that be okay for the chickens?

 

[Lin20]

ChickenmammX4, do all your chooks dustbath at the same time? I have 4 that seem to do everything together lol. I'd be needing a pretty big tub to fit all 4 in. That's an easy idea though which I'd consider provided I come across a big enough tub. Thanks for the pic - your chooks are lovely

 

[Lin20]

Fischnchix, that would be great if I could build half of something like that. I'm not sure about the lime in soil. Phaps someone more knowledgeable than me could answer that. All the best with the building. I'm sure your chooks would love it.

 

[Cluckies]

I use this in the winter, it is filled with organic peat moss. They take turns and stand around and "help" the one in the tub.




In the summer I have organic peat moss under their hen house, in the shade, they love it. In the summer I use that tub as a cooling swim pool, I fill it with cool water, this little girl sunk right down when I placed her in it. stayed about 5 minutes in there.

 

[yellowchicks]

Mine is a mixing tub with holes drilled on the bottom to drain. Fill the tub half way with construction sand, mix in a cup of wood ash and a cup of diatomaceous earth (DE).
Sieve and remove the chicken poop each week, add more material to refill the tub when necessary. Size of the dust bath tub or sand box depending on how many chickens you have. Not all of them will take a spa bath at the same time, any container will do. People also use peat moss or top soil to create the dust bath. I personally find it easier to sieve and clean by using sand.

 

[Lin20]

I use this in the winter, it is filled with organic peat moss. They take turns and stand around and "help" the one in the tub. In the summer I have organic peat moss under their hen house, in the shade, they love it. In the summer I use that tub as a cooling swim pool, I fill it with cool water, this little girl sunk right down when I placed her in it. stayed about 5 minutes in there.

Oh good ideas. Come to think of it I do have an old baby bath tub that I might be able to use...

 

[Lin20]

Mine is a mixing tub with holes drilled on the bottom to drain. Fill the tub half way with construction sand, mix in a cup of wood ash and a cup of [COLOR=333333]diatomaceous earth (DE). [/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]Sieve and remove the chicken poop each week, add more material to refill the tub when necessary. Size of the dust bath tub or sand box depending on how many chickens you have. Not all of them will take a spa bath at the same time, any container will do. People also use peat moss or top soil to create the dust bath. I personally find it easier to sieve and clean by using sand.[/COLOR]

thanks for that. I don't have wood ash but i have peat moss, top soil and some play sand.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

ChickenmammX4, do all your chooks dustbath at the same time? I have 4 that seem to do everything together lol. I'd be needing a pretty big tub to fit all 4 in. That's an easy idea though which I'd consider provided I come across a big enough tub. Thanks for the pic - your chooks are lovely

I've never really seen more than one in there at a time.