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Chickvic

Dust baths.

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I'm sure that I've read somewhere on this forum about dust baths, I've bought a cat litter tray, (in blue - it HAS to match the eglu! :lol: ) and when I asked at the pet shop I was told to use chinchilla sand. (I have ordered some diatomaceous earth from omlet and will add this to the sand.) I have put this in the run but haven't seen the girls use it yet. Is this ok? I feel like such an idiot asking loads of questions all the time! :oops: Thanks!!

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They'll use it when they are ready. Mine eat the compost from theirs for a week along with any new stuff they set eyes on. One of them did use it for a dustbath occasionally towards the end of the week but it wasn't a great success. It probably would have got more use if they were confined in their run but now that they free-range, they prefer the flowerbeds and a pile of compost that we've been meaning to transfer to the veg patch

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Hello,

 

Well, I s"Ooops, word censored!"ed back some soil just beneath our hedge, made a large bowl shaped dip, then filled it with a carrier bag full of ash from our log fire mixed it then with a tiny bit of the loose fine dry soft soil so it was level. (mixing in some their diatomaceous earth)

They've taken about a week to realise its potential, today in the warm sunshine; all 6 of them, simultaneously were bathing - looked like they were very happy & having great fun . They bathed for at least half an hour, they'd rest then roll, scratch, roll, bury, roll over then up & shake then rest then start all over again. Fascinating to watch. . . then when they all were finished, they all popped into the run for a bite to eat - quick drink then off on their travels . . for a walk around the garden - exploring & foraging on route to their destination which seems they decide once they get there :)

 

Very cheap dust bath & can be made so quickly.

 

Ms Tilysatoutsidewithhubbywhodisappearedtohavehislunchwiththechookstoday!!!!hmmmmmitmustbelove

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I have a large shallow tub trug which, following advice on here, I filled with a mixture of play sand, wood ash and compst. I also put in a few handfuls of Aubiose (as the sand was sodden), some Diatom, and a litttle Stalosan.

 

My girls use the dust bath a lot, either separately or bathing together. I've had to refill it twice in six weeks!

 

It's so funny when they start showeing in dust!.

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I don't have a dust bath in my run and am now feeling paranoid that have been neglecting my chooks - they free range loads and there is plenty of soil for them to bathe in but do I need to put a permananet bath in the run for them do you think???? :?

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do I need to put a permananet bath in the run for them do you think???? :?

 

I would have thought that if you've plenty of soil they would sort themselves out a dustbath although they might find it too wet at the moment!

Maybe put an old plant pot with some dry soil/sand in their run for a couple of weeks as an experiment?

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My lot have always ignored the provided baths and dug their own - at the moment they favour a spot right under the grub, both of them squished in to a small dent, that doubles as a nest box for Mildred, who is too stupid/lazy to go into the Eglu. :lol:

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The Chicky Girls free range during the day at weekends and each evening weekdays. They have carefully constructed their own dustbath just beside the rosemary bush. It is big enough for 2 at a pinch but they insist on going in all 3 at once which leads to a great deal of shoving and squawking as they all try and get comfortable. They have finally decided that if they sit in a row with the two at the ends facing one way and the one in the middle facing the other they can just about jam all 3 of them in but watching them sort themselves out is great fun. At risk of being thrown out of the forum I must say that one of the main things i have learned about chickens in the last 5 weeks has been that the term "birdbrain" truly is not a misnomer.

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