Lisa Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Hi As I patiently wait for Friday to arrive I was wondering what I need to do about dust bathing. Should I provide a tray with sand or something in for my soon to arrive girls to bath in or will they do their own thing? Sorry to sound so dense but I am very very new to this and am anxious to make sure that I have everything that I should need for my girls to be happy, especially as I go back to work on the 1st Sept ! Roll on Friday! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moochoo Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 There are lots of things you could make at home but to be honest the girls will still find their favourite spot and dig one of their own. I'd not worry about it too much. They're smart little creatures that tend to know what they need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 It depends how much you are going to let them free range, mine only get about 2 hours freeranging per day during the week as I work full time. I would put one in the run for them, half potting compost, half playsand and mite powder and/or diatom mixed in, mine use it all the time, they kind of need a dust bath I think it's like us needing a shower every day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EileenH Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 I`ve just watched my two in their dust bath! It`s a cat litter tray with half sand half compost with diatom. It was newly filled this afterneen and they`ve had a wonderful time flipping it about in an orgy of wriggling and giggling. It`s only half full now but they did so enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Posted August 23, 2008 Author Share Posted August 23, 2008 I was thinking of a litter tray or I have an old washing up bowl? Where is the best place to get Diatom and is it a powder? Also how much do you add to the dust bath? Also apart from disinfectant when cleaning the eglu should I treat it in anyway to prevent red mites? If so how? Thanks Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenGeorge2 Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Whatever you prepare they will do their own thing, I have a large flat flowerpot filled with seived compost they still do their own thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 I would use a washing up bowl if you have 3 chickens as they will more than likely want to all get in together. Mine used a litter tray when they were tiny but now they have a big terracotta flower pot, shallow and about 18 ins in diameter. Diatom, you just put in a generous sprinkle and mix it in. You can get it from the Omlet site but there are places that do it cheaper. To clean the eglu I sometimes use a pet disinfectant, you can buy them in pet shops, the sort they sell for guinea & rabbit cages, or for a good deep clean a big bucket of hot water with washing up liquid in and a scrubbing brush. Stick the roosting bars in as well and give them a scrub but they have to be dry before you put them back in so it helps to have a spare set. At the ends of the roosting bars and in the joins, rub in some diatom and/or some Mite powder (I use both). This should last until you change them again. Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Posted August 23, 2008 Author Share Posted August 23, 2008 I've found somewhere that does 1kg of Diatom for £8.55 incl vat. or 2kg for £15.99 incl vat at flytesofancy.co.uk This seems to be a good price as 100g at Omlet is £4.99 but I was just checking if this is the same stuff!! Could someone have a look for my reassurance please. Thanks Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam1 Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Hi we have now had our chickens for 2 weeks , i have filled a washing up bowl 1/2 full of the earth from our garden (velma spent about 45 mins in it this pm. They 1st picked any stray worms out and have then dust bathed in it. Mya is quite happy also to dust bathe just in the bark chips! enjoy your chickens when they arrive! cam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyReckless Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 it's so exciting waiting for your hens to arrive! Have a great time, lisa! Of course, the important question is - what colour Eglu (or cube) did you choose??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumpty Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 I researched recently to see who had the best prices and decided that Flytessofancy were the best, ordered the stuff and two days later it came. Some of their stuff was a tad more than other websites, but then if you order a few things together, there's only one postage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Posted August 23, 2008 Author Share Posted August 23, 2008 To answer Ruby Reckless I was not as brave as my sister with colours (she has a ) but order the one I've always wanted in my favourite colour ! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frazzled Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Is sharp sand (rather than play sand) mixed with compost Okay for a dust bath? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Is sharp sand (rather than play sand) mixed with compost Okay for a dust bath? Yes.I mixed some left over sharp sand with soil in a particular border and the chooks regulary bathe in it.They do however also bathe everywhere else in garden too under shrubs etc in regular soil so i dont really think the sand was actually neccessary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scramble Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Can I ask: How many of you have a box with sand/compost/whatever and how many of you leave your chickens to it? It's just I have a border next to the hedge with some plants and a area in the corners with some dusty,sandy soil, would this be okay? Chicken Keeping...more complex thank you may think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iar fach goch Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 As yet, I haven't provided mine with a dust bath as they are spending afternoons outside and have created a series of dust baths under the hedge for themselves which they love using on a sunny afternoon. Don't know if I will need to provide one in the run as the weather gets worse though as they tend not to venture out to much in the rain - apart from to the back door to try and persuade me to let them in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 From reading other posts - I think some owners add Diatom to the dust bath to help prevent red mites? However, as my chickens don't arrive till Friday, what do I know? I am just trying to make sure that I can do the best for my girlies when they arrive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyReckless Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I leave them to it and they find their own places. They particularly love dust baths in the asparagus bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scramble Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 [quote name="Lisa" However' date=' as my chickens don't arrive till Friday, what do I know? I am just trying to make sure that I can do the best for my girlies when they arrive![/quote] I feel the same! House arrives on wednesday, chicken pick up on Saturday. And yet all my forum and chicken book reading has made me quite the 'Chicken Eggspert!' Well...it did, I'm a frequent layer now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Here's 2 of mine in their dustbath. Just use dry earth to start with. I pinch it from hubbie's greenhouse. Diatom to add is nice but not essential. Mine free range all day and make huge dust bath craters in the borders but I always have a dustbath in the run for those torrential days when they are confined to barracks and for the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
