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[eggscombobulated]

Hi, can anyone advise me on the mudbath for the chickens.....? Tomorrow my pink cube and 5 chickens arrive - so exciting! I havn't a clue other than what I have genned up from the forum and books, so thankyou all. I am ready I think but uncertain about the mud bath for them - what container to use for inside the cube? And what to put in it? We have a very resident fox so unless I am out they will be in the run mostly......4metres in all which I believe will be plenty for 5 chickens? I will add dangley bits, cd's, and ledges for them to sit on.......advice appreciated.....thanks!

[stoice]

I know the weather has been rather wet of late but do you mean a dust bath? (It doesn't stop the girls rolling about in wet mud but it works better when it's dry)

 

Well, my girls prefer to dig their own holes in the run and fling everything all over the place (outside their run, into their water pot, food etc Fussy things) but i did place out for them a container for their dust baths to start with.

 

In it i placed some play sand, some oyster shell and grit (The girls mostly ate the contents anyway so it might as well help their calcium levels at the same time!) some dry soil and old compost i had laying about, some wood ash and some Diatom Powder (DE) for them to control their own potential lice problems. I used a washing up bowl part dug into the ground to stop it toppling over when they stood on one edge but some people use a tub trug thingy or a seed tray.

 

Hope this helps

 

Oooh and so excited for you re: your funky pink cube and new girls .

Of course we are going to need pics!

[Surfnirvana]

Hiya

 

I gave my ladies a lovely small old tin bath and filled it with play sand (I drilled a few holes in bottom to allow it to drain). They all came running over to see what it was, jumped in, pooed in it and then promtly started to dustbathe - wait for it - just outside of it in the grass!!!

 

So, I put the tin bath over the top of their dusting area and they soon made another dusting area in the lawn ,the other side of the tin bath. Great! So now, they just use it as a sand pit and jump in it every now and then. So glad I went to all that trouble. Bless 'em.

 

Good luck with the delivery of your ladies & cube - have fun!

 

xxxxx

[eggscombobulated]

Yes, dust bath!!! Thankyou both, thats helpful. As to pictures I have just about got the hang of sending in a question.....! Can't believe they are coming tomorrow. Hope husband is convinced when they arrive and settle in, he is very skeptical about the whole thing. I am amazed I have got to this stage actually..one enthusiastic son though busily, dare I say it, weeing in strategic places in the morning! I certainly won't get hubby doing that you can be sure!! The chickens will be called Pegasus, Mrs Jones, Mabel, and yes courtisy of my girls.......Tikka and Nugget... I am so hoping they will change their minds..!

[Surfnirvana]

Ohh I'm soo excited for you. I could barely sleep the night before my girls arrived! Make sure you cancel everything in your diary and also make lots of tea and cakes as you won't want to leave them for long, and everyone will want to come round to be introduced.

 

You wait, it wont take long before your husband will be chatting away to them and loving them to bits too.

 

We've had ours since May this year and its been the best thing we've done! We absolutely adore them and give us hours of entertainment just watching them. God definately had a sense of humour when he made chickens - they're brilliant! Have fun and do let us know how you get on!! xxx

[Tiggy]

mud bath you are so right at the moment -- mine dig great big holes & make their own dust baths usually just where I'm trying to hang out my washing

[The Dogmother]

Mine have a dustbath in their covered run, it's in an old enamel washing up bowl about 18" across. I put soil, ash from the woodburner and Diatom in it.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome to the forum, Eggscombob... etc .

 

I gave my girls a lovely specially purchased cat litter tray. They completely ignored it and just dustbathe in the run .

 

Bet you don't sleep well tonight . Good luck for tomorrow and keep us posted .

[Egluntyne]

I use a shallow tub trug for my girls. Filled with cheap compost and a bit of sand.

[Tulip]

Welcome, Eggscombob!

 

If you have an Ikea near you, we got a metal box from there the other day. We're going to half bury it in the girls 3m run. Not sure they'll prefer it to the sunny spot in the garden which they have kindly dug out for us, but it's the best they're getting while we're at work.

 

Best thing is, this box has a lid to stop the dew getting in and turning the contents to mud!

 

PS - Hubby is now having to redesign our brand-new garden as he doesn't have the heart to put decking over their favourite spot... the big softie.

[mostin]

PS - Hubby is now having to redesign our brand-new garden as he doesn't have the heart to put decking over their favourite spot... the big softie.

 

That is so sweet, I know what you mean though. I found myself moving my lawn chair into the shade the other day so the girls could all lay out in the patch of sunshine I had been sat in, spoit or what .

[Hen Watch]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

I use an underbed plastic storage box (sold in Morissons or Asda). Fits 3 chooks at once.

 

Ingredients: Just add dry earth ........ and chickens

(Special recipe tip - steal lovely bone dry earth from Husband's greenhouse when not looking).

 

 

PS. Keep dustbath under cover from rain.

[smanners]

My 3 girls dug their own dust bath under the apple tree almost as soon as they arrived!

it is now so deep that I can barely see them when they're in it

At least this position suits me as our old rabbit (RIP) would dig holes everywhere in the garden and I was always falling down them

[eggscombobulated]

My goodness, I am so excited....my very bright pink cube is being assembled! Havn't been introduced to the chickens yet, sort of keeping out of his way,(don't know his name,) - my henkeeping journey is about to begin....help - I hope I am up to this! A large enamel bowl came with the house 16 years ago - I knew it would be useful for something....a dustbath! Thankyou for all your advice! I'll go out and see "his" progress....... !!!!!

[Egluntyne]

Are you taking step by step photos?

[The Dogmother]

Yes, you must; it's obligatory!

 

It's not my Phil putting it up - he isn't working for Omlet today.. did eglu deliveries yesterday, but is delivering performance cars today

[The Ives Clan]

Bet you can't wait. It's even better when you can let them free range.

 

Our's make their own dust baths and now have three around the garden. We pull up the tomatoes out of the garen house over the weekend with the girls helping. They were running off with anything left on the plants. We emptied the compost at the bottom of the garden and the girls were soon throwing it everywhere. They loved it. I think it helped with the sun being out.

[..lay a little egg for me]

My 3 girls dug their own dust bath under the apple tree almost as soon as they arrived!

it is now so deep that I can barely see them when they're in it

 

Ours have done exactly the same thing, except they seem to have a hole each...under each of the 4 apple trees

[RubyReckless]

Our three have dug their own and ignored any attempts to provide them with a ready-made one, too. Contrary wee beasts!

[eggscombobulated]

It was Tim! My children took lots of pictures........their know-how will sort out 1 or 2 for the website. As you can imagine tea was very late to-night. I am going to have to be organised to allow for chicken gazing time.....

[The Dogmother]

Aaaahh, young, lanky lad? Started the same day as Phil.

 

Glad to hear that it went well.