kiwichick Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Four weeks ago BC (Before Chickens) I fertilised all my rose bushes and then this past weekend I gave them all a healthy dose of Iron Sulphate because they suffer from chlorosis. Well, the chooks have decided that dustbathing at the base of my roses and EATING the fetilized soil there is just the best thing to do all day Thank goodness I only use organic fertiliser! Who knows whether eating Iron Sulphate will do them any good. I guess they won't be suffering from anaemia any time soon. They've also taken a liking to all the new buds on the rose bushes. Honestly, I would've thought that pecking at the thorniest roses ever grown would not be high on their daily agenda I made them a dustbath of compost and DE in a low basin. They ate it. I made them another dustbath of soil, DE, and compost in my tubtrug. They ignored it. I put the tubtrug filled with soil, DE and compost on top of the crater they made. They continued to ignore it and made a new crater at the base of my hydrangeas. Someone tell me please, why the rootzone Why not in the big empty vege garden that could really do with some mad chickens wreacking havoc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Sounds so typical. Maybe they like to peck at a few beasties that aren't present in the lovingly prepared "home made" dustbaths. I have spent time and money in the past on dustbath stuff for them, only to have my gift spurned. I don't bother now...... The only thing that thee do prefer is a pile of cold ashes from the fire. They look terrifying when they emerge from that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Mine love their dustbath of tubtrug filled with playsand, DE and red mite powder - even more they love to run down to the patio doors and decking to shake it all out again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickled egg Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 They just love to be contrary! We have a lovely veg patch crying out to be furtled by they feet and beaks but instead they love to hang round by the kitchen drain waiting for small soggy s"Ooops, word censored!"s to appear. Its also prime position to ambush us if we come out the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 pop in a much loved plant to the homemade dust bath and then they'll start using it Chickens are very contrary - when my girls first arrived i spent ages making them a dust bath in a lovely old tub, they repeatedly turned their beaks up at it preferring instead to dust bath by the roots of the clematis. In the end i decided as they weren't going to use the tub as a dust bath, I would make use of it and I planted it with some lavendars as you can this has solved the problem of them not using my homemade dustbath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickflick Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I have a coal fire which we burn wood and coal on will that be ok for my soon to arrive chickens to dust bath in? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 pop in a much loved plant to the homemade dust bath and then they'll start using it Chickens are very contrary - when my girls first arrived i spent ages making them a dust bath in a lovely old tub, they repeatedly turned their beaks up at it preferring instead to dust bath by the roots of the clematis. In the end i decided as they weren't going to use the tub as a dust bath, I would make use of it and I planted it with some lavendars as you can this has solved the problem of them not using my homemade dustbath Hmm might be worth a try Mine have spurned my dustbaths. However, the pooey aubiose s"Ooops, word censored!"ing from the eglu they like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I have a coal fire which we burn wood and coal on will that be ok for my soon to arrive chickens to dust bath in?thanks I have the same Chickflick and yes its fine. Wood and coal ash is supposed to prevent scaly leg mite too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I've wondered about using our wood ash but thought that it would get up their noses too much knowing how sensitive their respiritory systems are, maybe I will give it a try then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I did think of that at first but then they discovered a old bonfire pile and went mad for it! Strange really as sawdust isn't recommended due to the dust! They look really scary when they have been dust bathing in ash. As soon as I re-fill their dust bath, they clamber over each other to get in first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwichick Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 hillfamily wrote: pop in a much loved plant to the homemade dust bath and then they'll start using it Wink Thats exactly what the little devils did I'm rooting a cutting from a hydrangea for a friend and it was getting a real workout from the girls. Not to mention the local squirrel family. I have a couple of lavenders that i forgot to plant last year that I could re-pot into the trug. Either that or bury some meal worms in it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisnrob Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 They look really scary when they have been dust bathing in ash. They do look a little disconcerting when they shake their feathers after dustbathing in it and a cloud of grey ash comes off Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...