Topic of the week - Dustbathing

[Banaynaychicken]

I provide a dust/sand mixture for dust bathing, washed and cleaned, insect free sand purchased at Lowes and then mixed with dust bought from landscaping places for pretty chea.

As fr age, My chicks start at a very young age.

this little buff laced polish chick, Dori, started at about 2 weeks old on my blanket in a photography session, you can see her about to start flopping around here Here little friend, Winnie, soon followed suit at only 4 days old.

Of course I moved her straight to sand once I saw that she knew what to do.

Majority of my chicks that I have raised start attempting to dust bathe between 4 days and 3 weeks, depending on teh breed and what their brooder includes.

 

[Nardo]

I very much am liking this set up. Mine just have an 18 wheeler tire with sand, ashes, etc.. But they can't get in when it's being used by another hen. Your pics show a much better solution.

 

[backdraft125]

They dig through the shavings and dust all the time. They started as very young chicks

 

[MrsAuberry00]

A lot of people mention ash. We have a fire pit where we've burned trash, wood, etc. Does the ash need to be from wood only to add to their bath?

 

[Stephine]

Yes, absolutely, nice clean WOOD ash only, no printed or colored paper, receipt paper, etc. and certainly no trash. Sorry.

 

[MrsAuberry00]

We do not burn kitchen trash in this pit, only paper, but as it isn't pure wood ash, I'll avoid using it. Thank you.

 

[BantyChooks]

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- From what age on do you provide a dust bath for chicks?
- What do you put in your flock's dust baths? (Soil, sand, ashes, DE, mite and lice powders, etc)

I give my chooks a dust bath from day one, most times. They love it. I let adults find what they want in my yard, and the chicks get sand.

 

[kell]

I'm new to raising chickens and built a 3x5 brooder for 6 chicks which, at the moment, is in the house. It's been quite interesting because being so close, I'm getting to really see their behavior which I find fascintating. They are 11 days old and within the last couple of days have been trying out their wings and dust bathing in the pine shavings I have in the cage. They are a riot. Wondering if I should put some sand in there.

I'd put some in the corner and see how they do!

 

[snow5164]

Our chicks get a ash pan in brooder from day 7... they seem to get curious by then.

We provide ash and de mixed.. in a cat litter box in each outside run . With sand in the coops they bath in that in the confined winter months .

There is always one in the litter box , but there are also 3-4 bathing in the plain on dirt holes they make . I keep the ash in there because they are always picking threw it and it's something to keep the little busy bodies ...busy!!

 

[msmolly]

I found this on Facebook and realized it might be the solution for my bird's Dust bath. I have Peahens and chickens, so the dust bath needs to be sized for both. When it isn't getting rained on, the cat is using it for a litter box. I'm going to try this tent idea and see if it works.