What type of dirt to buy to put in a bin for a dust bath?

[chickenbike]

My girls are 4 weeks old. I would like to offer them a bin (cat litter pan?) with dirt in it so they may explore proper dust bathing. My question is what type of dirt?

They are in a chicken ark and have been exploring outside for a week now, during the day. So far they seem to only have their dust baths whenever there's fresh pine shavings!

 

[PoultryPedia]

I've heard sand can be especially good.

 

[chickenbike]

Any particular type of sand? I could get fresh lake water sand from the beach....would that be safe?

 

[Joy1]

I don't see why not.

 

[ozark hen]

Get food grade diatomaceous earth. Important that the D.E. is Food Grade. Then they can dust themselves for lice and other creepy crawlies. Also dust their nesting boxes and coop. You can always dust them as they are roosting and then dust their feeders and you have yourself covered for parasites.

 

[PoultryPedia]

The diamataceous earth I got is the consistency of powdered sugar. I sprinkle it on food for deworming.
Does it come in another consistency that is more dust-bath-inviting?

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
AKA : LIME and SAFE for chickens

 

[Dawn419]

Quote:
I use food grade DE also. Since our gang loves to dust bathe in the coop litter/pine shavings, I just sprinkle a thin layer of the DE on the coop floor and let them wear themselves out. I've been using the above method for a year now and we've never had a mite problem with our birds.


Dawn

 

[MayberrySaint]

I have found that my hens prefer ashes...I burn a lot of branches and twigs in the chicken yard and after they cool down, that is where the hens start dirt bathing.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Quote:
Lime? Huh?