Wood ashes for dusting in.....

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Does anyone use cold wood ashes for the chickens to dust in? Ours pretty much stay in the chicken tractor, which has a fence wire floor, over ground. They do get to use a small pass through, from the main chicken tractor over to the spare open one. The door to door pass through is open to the ground. They like to dig that up, and dust in it.
But, anyway.....I was just wondering about the wood ash.

 

[henney penny]

Yes I do,they love it.Make sure its just wood ash and nothing else burned it with the wood.

 

[donnavee]

I use wood ashes as well and mix them in with sand. I do sift them to get rid of the big chunks of wood that didn't completely burn up. Probably not necessary, but it doesn't take long and keeps their dust bath mix nice and smooth.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

I think they finally figured out it was for dusting. I left them alone with it and came back later....it was all gone.

 

[Rosaleen]

I mix wood ash, sand, garden soil and DE together and have it in large bins in their run.

 

[harveyhorses]

Quote:
Yep that is what my ladies have too and they like it a lot more when it is warm.

 

[bakerjw]

I gave my girls some DE once and they couldn't help but poke their beaks into it. They all looked like cocaine addicts for a while afterward.

 

[RedDrgn]

Yep, and charcoal ashes, too. They love them and leave grey clouds in the air whenever they shake.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

I burn all of the old litter in a pile outside the coop, they dust bath in that all the time.

 

[cheekyhens]

Is firepit wood ash okay? Do you have to make sure no lighter fluid was used or do the chemicals dissipate ?