More Newbie advice please...dust bathing.

[Daffodilly]

Hi, as you probably know by now, I have had 3 chickens for 3 weeks now. Mine live in a coop with a smallish run so I let them out every day to have the run of our smallish garden. Do I need to provide them with a dustbath? or will they do this in the soil boarders that they have access to? I have been spending a fair amount of time out in the garden watching them but havent seen them doing it? they are about 21 weeks ish. Also, with regards to powdering them for mites, should I start this as a precautionary measure or do you wait until you see any?

[angelat]

hi daffodilly

hi daffodilly,

hope that your enjoying your new chicks! As for dustbathing mine use the soil borders to dustbathe in ( i just sweep the soil back into the borders when they have finished) or if they find an old pot with soil in they will try and dustbathe in there!

As for red mites i sprinkle red mite powder around there house when i have cleaned it out, and i have never seen red mite on them so have never had to treat them for it. im sure there are loads of other chicken keepers on here though that will be able to give you more advice!

enjoy your chicken keeping!

angela x

[RichmondHens]

Hens like to choose their own dustbath if they are allowed, so your borders will be fine to use, if you don't mind that is! They do tend to dig enormous craters though, be warned.

It is advisable to check and dust for lice preventatively every three or four weeks, this way you avoid an infestation. Lice live mainly round the vent and between the legs. Upend your birds and have a rummage after dark. They can be seen as small amber coloured insects scuttling for cover. As for red mite, as your hens are new and the weather is getting colder, chances are you don't really have to worry about these till the Spring, but puffing a bit of diatom or similar around the house will help in the meantime.

[Daffodilly]

Thank you so much, once again! xx And yes I am loving them, they are fab, yes the boarders have taken a battering but they are so funny. It amazing what they find, they will dig up old buttons, elastic bands, they have found all sorts down deep in the soil and seem to just put them all in a pile as if to say 'look what we found!'