what kind of mess to expect indoor coop dust bath?

[Mother of Chaos]

that's why I was wondering if I put a hole in a tote and place a lid on top if that would keep the dust in a little more, the way they kick the shavings around is hilarious but sand is another story lol

Well, maybe? The trick would probably be getting them to enter this pitch-black cave for a dust bath. I’m envisioning a high-roofed cat litter box here, and I can’t get the image out of my mind.

I do think that you’ll need to plan on daily (or more) vacuuming, plus frequent emptying of the vacuum cleaner bag.

I know what you mean about the kicking! Our slightly-lunatic Barred Rock (the one in my avi) is a vigorous digger while bathing. When really inspired, she kicks dirt 3 1/2 feet away and a foot up in the air from the ex-flower bed where she “bathes”, up to where I’m sitting on the back deck. The dirt hits my shoes and ankles, and sometimes higher. I have learned to instinctively protect my wine glass when she gets going!

Diggin’ it with her flock sistas:

 

[Newbydoo]

Well, maybe? The trick would probably be getting them to enter this pitch-black cave for a dust bath. I’m envisioning a high-roofed cat litter box here, and I can’t get the image out of my mind.

I do think that you’ll need to plan on daily (or more) vacuuming, plus frequent emptying of the vacuum cleaner bag.

I know what you mean about the kicking! Our slightly-lunatic Barred Rock (the one in my avi) is a vigorous digger while bathing. When really inspired, she kicks dirt 3 1/2 feet away and a foot up in the air from the ex-flower bed where she “bathes”, up to where I’m sitting on the back deck. The dirt hits my shoes and ankles, and sometimes higher. I have learned to instinctively protect my wine glass when she gets going!

Diggin’ it with her flock sistas:

View attachment 4255709

oh my!... Definitely protect the wine.. lol I was thinking a clear bin not a dark one

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I think your chickens would transfer to their new "digs" with the relatives a lot sooner if you had hubby "help" with more of the chores.

 

[Newbydoo]

I think your chickens would transfer to their new "digs" with the relatives a lot sooner if you had hubby "help" with more of the chores.

Well, one of them is practicing his new found crowing voice and the other is just finding out he can do it too lol if the move is not done in 2 weeks, I am bringing them both in our room every morning to wake him up...

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Girl, you are some kind of saint to have put up with this for this long! When we brood chicks in the house, they get kicked out at three weeks old, and I'm the one who loves chickens! I can't take the smell after that. And between 5 and 8 weeks, they move in with the adult hens.

 

[Newbydoo]

Girl, you are some kind of saint to have put up with this for this long! When we brood chicks in the house, they get kicked out at three weeks old, and I'm the one who loves chickens! I can't take the smell after that. And between 5 and 8 weeks, they move in with the adult hens.

I was worried about the smell too but I clean it daily and people visiting our house didn't notice we had chickens in the house until we showed them the coop.. unless they are big fat liars lol... They were supposed to go as soon their feathers came in, they are 6 weeks now almost 7.. I didn't want to incubate anything until spring while we built the outdoor coop but hubby raided his parents eggs and wanted me to try the incubator the day I got it, so here we are with me asking questions about indoor chickens lol

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I was worried about the smell too but I clean it daily and people visiting our house didn't notice we had chickens in the house until we showed them the coop.. unless they are big fat liars lol... They were supposed to go as soon their feathers came in, they are 6 weeks now almost 7.. I didn't want to incubate anything until spring while we built the outdoor coop but hubby raided his parents eggs and wanted me to try the incubator the day I got it, so here we are with me asking questions about indoor chickens lol

It’s time to announce to your husband or in-laws or whomever (and it’s absolutely true) that keeping chicks indoors for this length of time is cruel and will weaken their ability to survive in the outdoor world (even in a run), because they are being deprived of the opportunity to learn how to live in the real world.

While this might sound dramatic, I note that we acquired our pullets at around 7 weeks old on average. They were hatched in an incubator and never exposed to a broody hen, and yet they were out of the brooder at three weeks, learning to scratch in the bedding, hearing the everyday sounds of outdoor life, and perform real chicken behaviors.

The very day that we brought them home, they cautiously explored their new run and put themselves to bed at dusk, and have done so ever since. They knew from day 1 how to alert the others to aerial predators (an American Airlines CRJ commuter jet in our case ) and have continued to display the instinctive behavior that keeps chickens alive.

It is unnatural and cruel to keep chickens of this age inside when there is no credible threat to housing them outdoors.

I apologize if I sound dramatic, but this is NOT how to raise chickens. I’m sorry that you’re caught in this situation.