Sand for Dust Bath?

[amenfarm]

I went to the dollar general and bought a dishpan, plastic tub that you put down into your sink to wash dishes, and filled with builders sand 2/4, topsoil 2/4, and fireplace ash couple of hand fulls . works really well in the coop because of it's high sides, I get less shavings thrown in. I also took a one quart plastic milk jug and cut it so it has about 3 inches in the bottom front, cut up the sides, went across the front leave several inches for stability and leaving the handle in the back--you end up removing about 1/3 of the jug from the front. then my husband made 1 cut in the handle and i poked it Thur the fencing and fill with free choice grit, after they begin to lay you can add another for free choice oyster shell grit. if it will be in a area that gets outside weather take a gallon milk jug and make 2 3 inch diameter holes on each side of the front--that way the chicken can put their heads in but the rain stays out.

 

[kristin07035]

HimI'm new to this...Getting my first 4 pullets in two weeks. I have hard clay like dirt & its February in NJ so ground frozen. Does anywhere sell pre mixed dust bath? I dont have a fireplace or wood stove & not sure if anywhere local sells sand this time of year?

 

[amenfarm]

You should be able to find builders sand no problem, that's also used for icey covered porches etc. You can burn your own wood for the ashes you need. My husband burned branches, scooped up the ashes and sifted them through a window screen. Our cracker barrel, or any restaurant that has a wood pizza oven is a good place to get them. If all else fails,use top soil,sand and diaomaous earth.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

so marine sand... could I just go to the end of my road and get the sand straight from the beach or does it need to be treated or something? ....

Raw beach sand may have to much residual salt in it. To much salt is deadly to small chicks. I would first wash the beach sand with a garden hose and fresh water before unloading it.

 

[liyahmarie0323]

Walmart sells a play sand, by Crayola, in small bags. I imagine it would be cheaper than marine sand? Heck, some plain potting soil will work when it comes right down to it just don't want the kind with added fertilizer or that white stuff (verticulite?).

DE is okay, just go lightly on it.

You think i can just sift out the white bits? or is it not good to use soil that’s had it in there at all

 

[imacowgirl2]

I buy a bag of “compost” from the home improvement store…it has none of the stuff you don’t want. Or the super cheap topsoil (usually down at the very far end so most people buy the fancy expensive stuff before even getting to it).

For dust bathing containers in the winter, when their dust bath outside is frozen, I use a huge plant container…mostly because the brats started dust bathing in them as soon as I cut my impatiens back this fall…so I just moved one to the coop when the outside bath froze and it’s awesome — the sides are so high they waste very little (it’s only about 1/3 full) and it doesn’t take up much floor space in the coop and it provides one more perch for them to hang out on.