UPDATE: *with pics* The Bathing Experiment - Dirt or Sand?

[WriterChick]

Cool! I'm going to do this as well for my girls. Thanks for the tip!

 

[citychickx6]

Glad to hear that there is an answer from the chicken world. I do believe I will be adding more dirt to the run. I know that means mud at times but mine have totally ignored the sand too. I had filled a kiddie pool with it and so far they have only walked across it if I was tempting them with treats.

I love experiments. Thank you for doing one.

 

[Patricia Jane]

Quote:
This is what i used and low and behold they bathed in the dirt and didn't care for my dirt bath. Guess it depends on the chickens.

 

[Zonoma]

Quote:
Thanks so much, ChickMom.

Now, I'm wanting to get all scientific-y and put out all 3 and see what they go for.

I'll report back.

Science! Hey....this might make a great experiment for my son's 4th grade science fair.

 

[Honeysucklefeathers]

Mine prefer pure old dirt

 

[Erin K]

Mine seem to prefer to find one of the few patches of healthy nice lush grass in the yard, dig that up and turn it into a hole then bathe in that. My husband is not amused.

Maybe I'll try putting out some peat moss. Very cool experiment.

 

[CT]

My chicklets (I think they are 5 weeks old now) just moved to their outdoor coop today and it includes a big bin of peat moss for dust baths. One of the white chicks--the one who first discovered dust bathing and pursues it with the greatest enthusiasm--got herself so dug in she looked like the brown one. She loved it, and a couple of the others got in the act too. She must have done a pretty good job of shaking out, because she looked great when I went back to check on them later. Great volume. Maybe those of us with thin and limp hair ought to give peat moss a try.

 

[Honeysucklefeathers]

Quote:

 

[farmer9989]

I know we aren't supposed to breath peat moss don't know bout chickens.

 

[CC1892]

Quote:
This is a good reliable mix I found in an old Harrowsmith magazine I saved years ago.
Except it specifies wood ash. I read elsewhere that wood ash aka: charcoal, is also good fighting internal parasites as well as the external ones.

There are several postings with photos, on this website showing hens having a great time dust bathing in mulch.
So the use of peat moss is intriguing-I may add that to the mix.