Amy83 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I'm going to make a little dust bath for my chickadees and have some stupid questions. I have an old belfast sink that i'm going to use and i'm going to make them a little covered area to hide from the rain and to put the bath under but whats do i use for the dust? I have some fine sawdust at the mo which i put in their house when i last mucked them out and they went mad for it. should i mix that with some mud or sand? Cheers Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Ours have compost, lice powder, stalosan F and Diatom in theirs.... ...edited to to say, they love it (Chilli is obsessed). And when the sun shines onto the dustbath? Chicken heaven, it seems!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewhitehouse Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Mine have the remains of a small bag of compost in a small trug. Its under a clematis covered pergola in a quiet corner so keeps dry I think. They love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyknickers Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Preparing mine tomorrow and its going to have diatom, play sand and compost. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMcHen Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Mine have a lovely sunken tyre inside Peckingham Palace - they never touch it!!!!! They prefer to make their own else where. Hope they may use it when it has the sun on it in the summer. It has play sand, diatom and wood and coal ash in it. The coal ash is apparently good for chickens but not the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*mummy_hen* Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 We made ours a dust bath to begin with - they used to stand on the edge of the box or walk through it but never used it!! Instead they have chosen a patch right in the middle of the garden and between them made a massive whole...aka their favourite dustbath of all!! It is very cute as they can all get in together and roll around. Before we through it away, ours has sawdust, play sand, a bit of soil and mite powder in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ's Chooks Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Ours have compost, lice powder, stalosan F and Diatom in theirs.... ...edited to to say, they love it (Chilli is obsessed). And when the sun shines onto the dustbath? Chicken heaven, it seems!! that is a fantastic dustbath with a lid on it.... great idea.... we should do the same??? what is the box? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Mine have a dustbath with compost, sand and diatom but yesterday decided to go for my freshly raked veggie bed Video here : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splodge88 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Ours love our veg patch Our vegetables have finished so it's all good. And if they poo then that'll be good when we plant new veg!! We'll have to section it off when we do it though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Mine just get bone dry earth from the greenhouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Mine have a dustbath with compost, sand and diatom but yesterday decided to go for my freshly raked veggie bed Video here : How gorgeous are they ?! Is that a jubilee (?) one in the front? Mine didn't know how to dustbath until last week, now they do it anywhere they can find! I'd moved the eglu run so I could clean it out ready for the & batties to be moved. Three of the Orpies found it & spent a good hour rolling around & making those sweet little peepy noises. They do look so much better for a bath though, I just wish "mucky knickers" Drusilla would get in there & have a good rummage, maybe that would tidy up her rear end If she doesn't she may just have to be bathed ! Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 [quote name="Wild Mum How gorgeous are they ?! Is that a jubilee (?) one in the front? Mine didn't know how to dustbath until last week' date=' now they do it anywhere they can find! I'd moved the eglu run so I could clean it out ready for the & batties to be moved. Three of the Orpies found it & spent a good hour rolling around & making those sweet little peepy noises. They do look so much better for a bath though, I just wish "mucky knickers" Drusilla would get in there & have a good rummage, maybe that would tidy up her rear end If she doesn't she may just have to be bathed ! Sha x[/quote] Yep, Old Speckled Hen at the front is a Jubaliee, she is getting more gordeous as she is growing.....and oh my are they growing! We were told they were mini Orps but they are def NOT! Hence the recent purchase. OSH and Gin (splash at back) looked better for a bath but "Mucky Knickers aka Stella the buff is gleaming on top but her back end could do with a wash and blow dry. I am about to go out and move so that we can lay slabs for WIR....well that`s after I have phoned Omlet to request the missing parts from my Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Good luck with your call....to be fair my bits were quite quick to arrive after I'd phoned & spoken to them having not had a response from my email I think if I every get that voice on the phone again, I'll ask to speak to Hayley who was very helpful about the recon. Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
