Janey4 Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 My ex bats are coming tomorrow (yipeeee ) but my coop has been delayed, so they will be living in temporary accomodation until it arrives. We have made a run for them on the garden unil there new set up is compete and its on mainly grass, so I wanted to make them a dust bath for them to use for the time being. I was going to use a cat litter tray (will this be suitable??) but I have no idea what to put in it!!! Can you help!!? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Some dry compost or soil, play sand and diatom would be perfect. I tried putting it all in a washing up bowl but my girls ignored it. Preferring instead to dig huge holes in their run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I bought mine a lovely shallow purple tub trug to match the cube, & filled it with play sand with a squirt of Diatom. They ignore it & dig holes in the muddy aubiose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAB Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I use cat litter tray - they dust bath in it; sometimes eat the dust bath; and sometimes turn it upside down and stand on it - endless fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I used a massive plant pot base and filled it with sand....they ate the sand and dust bathed in the holes they dug in the flowerbed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janey4 Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 O dear sounds like they will make their own whatever I do!!!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Mine use it all the time they love it. A large shallow plant pot filled with half and half cheap potting compost and playsand and quite a lot of mite powder/diatom mixed in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Compost, wood ash, sand, garden soil, a mixture of all of these. The ex-batts will probably not be sure what to do with it at first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I used a massive plant pot base and filled it with sand....they ate the sand and dust bathed in the holes they dug in the flowerbed Same here - apparently dustbath sand is a great delicacy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janey4 Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 The ex-batts will probably not be sure what to do with it at first. Awww that makes me sad. Think I will make them one just in case and hopefully they might learn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I've made one using an old tyre filled with soil, compost and sand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy77 Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 shallow tubtrug for my girls. they do use it more often than digging up the garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boo&Fudge Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi We used an old washing up bowl and just some dry soil from the garden as a temporary dust bath, they loved it and bathed 2 at a time. Now they are free ranging they still like the bowl in the garden and the flower beds! However they do turn the soil until a lovely fine mix and they are so entertaining to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAB Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I was surprised how quickly mine got the hang of dust bathing - they reminded me of my old s"Ooops, word censored!"py rescue cat Winnie who loves to roll around in the dirt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 we;ve got an old wooden trug with the handle removed. I've filled it with a mix of the earth from left over salad that I grew; then some old potting compost, bunged in the odd bit of diatom here and there. they turn it over every time!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 I tried a trug with potting compost - ignored, then I bought them a lovely old fashioned tin bath, filled with play sand, - they eat it! They prefer to bury themselves in the aubiose, I suppose I should just put some diatom in the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janey4 Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 Thanks everyone! Mixed myself a nice dust bath mixture last night, including lots wood ash, compost and sand and as soon as I know the hens are using it I will add some Diatom!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
