[Sassy]

Hi

I notice there has been a recent posting about providing a dust bath for chooks. I currently do not do this and it seems I should. I have a deep baby bath that I can use but is there a special type of sand that I should use or any other form of 'dust' that would be suitable. I will also put some Diatom in as suggested.  :?  :?

[poultrygeist]

Hi Sassy.

They need somewhere to bathe, so if they have no little dustbowls around their area, a baby bath would be ideal.

You can use anything from dry soil, sharp sand (£1.35/20kg) or any sort of dusty/sandy soil.

And the diatom is an excellent idea.

Rob

[mumsy]

Hi
Some people use builders sand, I use play sand as NO chemicals, I mix it with wood ash from our fire, soil & diatom or louse powder.  Mine have made their own dustbath on the floor of their shelter, which I fill with the above.  I did buy a cat litter tray but they refuse to use it :roll:  :roll:

You don't have to use sand at all if you don't want to.  If they free range they will soon find a 'hot spot' on the garden bed

[Zak the Rabbit]

mines got sharp sand/fine grit from the builders merchants, some diatom and the contents of a used growbag in it

[Oliveview]

It is quite amusing seeing the hens dust bath themselves-  I never realised a hen could almost lay on it´s back and still throw soil/dust everywhere  
Pamela

[kimT]

Our girls have a large tin planter that looks like a bath and I fill it with Sharps sand.....................they love it and it's very amusing when there are so many lots of feathers in it at the same time you can't do a beak count!

[Sassy]

Hi Thank you all very much for your suggestions. I will get right on to it tomorrow. We have had such a wet summer there is no where dry enough for them to have  a dust bath!    

[nnbreeder]

Wet never stopped mine! It is hard to have a white bird remain white with our red clay soil!