Winter Dust Baths

[Chullicken]

I live in NH and I use All Purpose Sand in their run and coop. As long as it or part of it is dry(ish), they'll dig a whole for bathing. Chickens are remarkable as you know with tilling. Once in awhile I'll throw in some wood ash that I've presifted and sand as the weekly part of my maintenance. I screen the wood as before hand to remove the unburned chunks of all sizes. Once less thing they'll jump down on from the run roost and get bumble foot.

 

[Tlmcq]

Also chickens and even wild birds will eat burnt wood and ash as it is a natural form of charcoal. It helps remove toxins from the body and relieve symptoms of "stomach" upset. Their have been scientific studies of wild birds coming to areas of previous wildfires to eat the charred wood and ash. And also helps with bug control. Which is why the chickens will scratch around, peck in and dust bathe in fire pit areas. In winter I use a shallow storage tub or big litter pan inside coop filled with sand, ash, DE and dirt. They use the tub and some also create their own in ground of coop.

 

[R1V3R20NG]

My chickens dust bathe in normal dirt, wood ash, and diatomaceous earth (food grade). They all help!

 

[WhatAboutBob?]

Might have remnants of lighter fluid stuff?

I don't use lighter fluid. Can't stand the taste on my food. Use a Chimney Starter full time. But there are coal by-products in charcoal briquettes come to find out, so no bueno on grill ashe.

 

[daxigait]

I have two. One is a 55gallon plastic barrel with an opening in the side. I lay it on its side, fill it part way with dirt and some ash from the wood stove. In my small coop I use a large covered cat litter box.

 

[daxigait]

That reminds me I need to fill several cat litter containers (the plastic ones you can shut with dirt to put inside so I have unfrozen dry dirt over the winter.
(Or old five gallon paint buckets)

 

[Leahs Mom]

@MNChickens27
One thing you need to remember when adding a dust area indoors in winter is that the dust and dirt dust gets on EVERYTHING. I learned that the hard way the first year we moved chicken pens into the pole barn for the winter.

I gave them my normal WINTER dust bath - a wreath keeper filled with a mix of peat moss, sand, and whatever dirt from outside that is available. (You can use both halves of a wreath keeper and it works wonderfully. You can even close it up and port it elsewhere.)

Anyhow, EVERYTHING in the barn was covered with a thick dust the next spring. Even the tractor. We had to blow out the tractor engine before starting it for fear it would ruin the engine!

A word to the wise...

If you only have a hen shed with nothing else in there then it's no big deal

I got it just after Christmas for clearance at about $2

Edited because I found my photos:

 

[Cluckies]

I'm from MN as well, I pick up Organic peat moss from fleetfarm or Menards and fill big oval tubs I got from Fleet farm I place them in the run. I buy about 6 or 7 bags of the peat moss in the fall to use throughout the winter months.

Peat Moss
Oval tubs

 

[Leahs Mom]

I get the peat moss from Menards as well. It's strange - the chickens go for that peat moss like it's candy. They get really excited when I put it in fresh!

 

[SilkieNation]

Hi All:

I live in Minnesota and am curious what people in Northern climates do to provide a dust bath for their chickens when it gets cold and snowy. Is there something I can buy at a Lowe's or Home Depot that would be good for them to bath in to help keep mites away?

Thanks for any suggestions!