how to make a dustbath?

[angelat]

hi

can anyone tell me how to make a dustbath, not sure what to make one with. my chooks will have run, plus access to a quarter of the garden, occassional access to whole garden, an empty flower bed with an overhanging tree in it, but i want to make them a bath? any ideas. thanks

angelat

[Flummery]

I think they'll make one of their own with the empty flower bed! However, they reckon (I don't have chooks at the mo) that a big cat-litter type tray with sand in will do. If you make your own, you can add medication to it - red mite powder or diatomaceous earth. You'll need to put it somewhere dry though!

[Twinkle]

Flummery's right - I'll bet they make their own in the empty flowerbed.

Cat litter tray is an ideal size for one... we used to use a washing up bowl but they perched on the side of it and tipped it over all the time.

If you can find one, an old stone sink is ideal.... we have a battered old Belfast sink which we fill with dry soil and mix in some cold ash from the fire as that helps keep mites away

[Noodle]

Ooh, good tip on the ash, I have a stone bird table I might convert. I was wondering what to use as once I put wood chip down it will cover up the dust bath they have made in the soil, although it's not very deep so I think they might like the new 'fake' one even better!
They do make the dust bath's in our flowerbeds when they are running about the garden, but they seem to like them so much, having one in the run would be good too.

[djhs196]

I opted to place one in the run so that they would have one "on-tap" if they didn't have access to the usual flower bed haunts....



I found a cat litter tray itself wasn't high enough at the sides, so opted for a cheap storage box from pound stretcher with 4/5 inch sides. This was to try and keep some of the dust bath material in the box - i didn't want to have to fill it up every day!

I used a 1/2 mix of play sand (said to be better as it's finer than sharp sand) and 1/2 compost. I also put in wood ash (finest particles of the 3). The fine particles are said to trickle through the feathers better and also block the respiratory system of some of the creepy crawlies.

As mentioned by Flummery, you can also add medication and it also needs to be under cover and kept dry or it will quickly turn into a mud bath.

It took them a while to get used to it, but they now use it without a second thought.

[MaureenHall]

I got a large dog bed from Freecycle and used play sand in it. I'd thought about putting medication (red-mite powder) in it too, but was told not too as the chooks will probably eat some sand and other contents. Chools totally ignored it and continue even now to use the ones they've dug themselves. The cat took a fancy to it though as a cat litter tray so I've cleaned it up and sunk it into my allotment to grow my herbs in

[Snadger]

I have a huge plastic dog bed (like Maureen) which is ideal because there is a cut-out in the front to allow the chooks to get in easier.

I initially put it in the run but because it has no drainage the sand soon got sodden. I now have an old table in the run with the sand filled dog bed underneath. This keeps it nice and dry.They seem to use it a lot as I've went through two bags of dry sand up til now.
I also threw a bit of oyster shell in and each time I give them some corn a handful goes in the dog bed for them to scratch about for.

[vicky]

I have one with play sand and one with ash in, inside the run. They have never used them and much prefer my flower beds...

[Sue]

Blimey you must have clean and tidy hens! I've tried giving them dust baths but they poop in them so they have to be emptied out and refilled every day. Now I've found that they scrape out their own holes in the run and when I clean out the run, I refill their scrapes with dry compost and this seems to work well.
Sue