Dust bath

[dexterdoglancashire]

I'd like to make a dust bath for my girls but havent a clue what to do! Has anyone got any ideas? Ie what could I use as a dust bath and what would I put in it?

[RedThorn]

mine use any available dry( and not so dry spot and really enjoy bathing in loose soil. Preferable in the sunniest spot that/ first spot to be sunny that you can find.

[MaureenHall]

How about a baby bath filled with dry soil in a dry sheltered place in the run? (if there is such a place at the moment!!) You can add diatom to it too so they de-louse at the same time

[lynda66]

a mixture of sand compost, crumbly soil and fire ashes went down well with my lot in summer

[dexterdoglancashire]

How about a baby bath filled with dry soil in a dry sheltered place in the run? (if there is such a place at the moment!!) You can add diatom to it too so they de-louse at the same time

Me being thick, whats diatom? I havent got any......think I know where I could get some from tho.

[dexterdoglancashire]

mine use any available dry( and not so dry spot and really enjoy bathing in loose soil. Preferable in the sunniest spot that/ first spot to be sunny that you can find.

Thanks Steve - trouble is, up here int' north we have been and are in very short supply of all those requirements!

[Flummery]

I gave mine a sand pit sink in the floor of the run. They just scratch wood chips into it! I now leave it as a wood chip shelter (I empty the chips back out regularly) and they go in there when it's windy as it's below ground level and sheltered. Canny lot. They make their own dust bath on their bit of garden.

[Suechooks]

I use a spare plastic dog bed half filled with mix of soil and play sand. They much prefer the empty raised beds in the polytunnel though!

[Eco-Chic]

Bernie,

I bought a huge tub on eBay cos I use it every other day. I filled an empty seasalt container and shake it liberally over their perches the top of their shavings and their ramp. In the summer when it was dry (anyone remember?) I used to scatter it on the floor of the coop and nest box before adding shavings and also to the run. The idea being they delouse themselves when they go kicking, scratching, perching and laying. Red Mite hate it too.

You could use an old cat litter tray or even a cardboard box to use as a dust bath.

[RedThorn]

lol Bernie... it's in short supply here too mine prefer using my raised bed's when I let them.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Bernie,

I bought a huge tub on eBay cos I use it every other day. I filled an empty seasalt container and shake it liberally over their perches the top of their shavings and their ramp. In the summer when it was dry (anyone remember?) I used to scatter it on the floor of the coop and nest box before adding shavings and also to the run. The idea being they delouse themselves when they go kicking, scratching, perching and laying. Red Mite hate it too.

You could use an old cat litter tray or even a cardboard box to use as a dust bath.

Brill, thanks. Bernie goes off to ebay......................

[Glutton4...]

I gave up - they much prefer digging their own holes to bathe in. The current one is about a foot deep, makes me jump when I walk past and a little head pops out I just bung stuff in the hole from time to time, and they dig it back out again!

[Eco-Chic]

I got the 5Kg size when I was getting 5L Smite and other bits and bobs cos the seller would send up to about 20kg of stuff for �7.95 carriage.

It's going to last a very long time so I expect I'll have to get some more chooks in the New Year to help use it

[dexterdoglancashire]

I got the 5Kg size when I was getting 5L Smite and other bits and bobs cos the seller would send up to about 20kg of stuff for �7.95 carriage.

It's going to last a very long time so I expect I'll have to get some more chooks in the New Year to help use it

Good idea, like it! Just ordered some off the bay of the e.
Thanks for your help.

[janeyo]

We used an old cat litter tray,(washed of course). With playsand in it.
But they just ate all the playsand! Over and over again. So now they have made their own little dust bath areas -3 in a row, very cute- under the conifers and it stays dry under there.