feemcg Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 Hi folks. When I got my chickens I filled a plastic under-bed box with play sand and each day when they're out the run I take the lid off and hope that they use it - they don't! I've even sat Beauty in it and poured sand over her to see if she got the idea! Yesterday I put a smaller tray of sand in the eglu run. They didn't go near it and this morning I let them out the eglu and they immediately surrounded the tray and started eating! Do all chickens dust bathe or are mine just not into personal hygiene!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harveypup Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 HI Fee, You are not alone I too dutifully provided a bath with play sand and neither of them bothered with it at all, much preferring to bury themselves in the bark or soil in the garden so I took it out. As long as they can do it somewhere I can't see it being a problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 HI fee If your girls are free ranging have they made their own little dusbath in the garden under a bush or shrub? I wouldn't worry about it, maybe they don't feel dirty yet As for eating the sand mine did this when they have a sand dustbath. Do they have access to grit at all? Chickens need grit to grind up their food in the gizzard. Your girls could be eating the sand if they can't find grit, tiny pebbles etc to help grind up the food they have eaten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 mine did eat their dust bath at first...to my suprise. Ella now has the hang of it and loves to go in there every afternoon and lie in it Sam on the other hand (who is the naughty messy chicken) does like to wind Ella up by poo-ing in her dustbath so I have to keep replacing the play sand as she wont go in it with poo in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 Ours will never use a provided dust bath, or a tampered with dust bath, only one they've chosen and made entirely on their own! And they always peck at little stones and bits when they're in there - I think its part of the fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SillyClucker Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 This makes me laugh cos our Miss Piggy found a flower pot with some old mulch or compost in it. She sat in it filling it completely but she had a great time - they really go into ecstacy mode. So try some nice dry compost and see what happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted September 29, 2006 Author Share Posted September 29, 2006 The tray of sand - now removed - had got wet so they all decided to devour the wet sandy mixture, resulting in pure sand poos for a couple of days! They have a constant supply of grit/shell mix so I'm not sure what that was about. I've now seen them dustbathing when I replace the hemcore - they flatten themselves out in the fresh hemcore and seem to really enjoy it. Unfortunately it only stays dry enough for about a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 Sandy poo They are funny creatures chickens. I cheer if I see one of them in the bowl full of compost (looking for food of course). They have their craters in the garden and are happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 I lovingly planted an old metal bath with lavendars earlier this year and my girls thought it was a lovely place to make a dust bath In the end I removed half of the lavendars to give tham a bit more room and now they have a lovely dust bath and they also smell of lavendar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Well I 've had my girls two weeks now and they still wont play in their play sand.. First I put it inside the run but they just covered it in Aubiose then ignored it. Now it's out of the run (where I have to lug it up and down the garden each time I let them out to stop it getting wet) and all they do is stand in it and kick sand everywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Mine love the dry dustbath in their run, but they prefer digging their own in the borders when it's dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triphazard99 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Mine have discovered the big potted palm in the conservatory.....the pot is just the right size to accommodate two chickens...they look like they are on the stereotypical desert island, with the palm in the middle!! Unfortunately, much as they love it........THE MESS!!!! Fortunately, they have several other sites around the garden, any old patch of soil seems to do, whereas the earth I put in a litter tray in the run when they first arrived was never touched. Obviously it's no fun unless you can make a real mess of your surroundings..... If you do end up lifting them out of an indoor plant pot....they hold a surprising amount of soil in their feathers. I thought I'd caught them quick today, but Parsnip just dumped all the soil out halfway across the conservatory. Or am I the only one whose chickens think free range applies to the house, too? Thank god for solid flooring... Sophie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Mine aren't allowed in the house (yet) OH won't allow it!!!! I lovingly made a dust bath out of a old shallow terracotta pot and sand. Yes, they ate the sand!! They keep making craters in the bark and auboise and make their own dust baths now. Christian x x x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 My girls come indoors aswell - only the kitchen and conservatory - but they would probably wander further given the chance When it rains they all line up at the back door (even the newbies) and wait to be let in. Then thay run round to the conservatory - stopping off on the way to check to see what food the (house) bunny has, before snuggling under my daughter's 'art table' conveniently situated near a warm radiator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Breaking news................Gucci has used the dust bath WOT A MESS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Congratulations on the dust bath!!! Is there a specific type of sand you use? I will have some sharp sand left over from building the hen hotel - will that do or does it have to be play sand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 They'll go for anything light and dusty Emma - dried earth or compost is fine. I once mixed some ashes from the stove in and they loved it - but the girls all looked grey like little ghost chickens for about an hour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Thanks Clare! Sharp sand & compost it is then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 I also threw a bit of Diatom in there as well. Get a big bag of sand thought Emma - mine chucked half of the boxful all over the garden and wore the rest before shaking it all out ten minutes later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 If it's any help, they like the contents of their dustbath to be dry and light so that they can get it between their feathers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I also threw a bit of Diatom in there as well. Get a big bag of sand thought Emma - mine chucked half of the boxful all over the garden and wore the rest before shaking it all out ten minutes later Firstly whats Diatom? And secondly you advice a big bag of sand - will a ton do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 DIATOM Great thing to have in your cupboard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 DIATOM Great thing to have in your cupboard! Thanks Chookiehen! I ordered some with my Eglu, now if you had said worming powder i would have got it right away ive still got so much to learn yet Why would worming powder in a dust bath be good though? Arent you supposed to put it in their food? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 It works on internal and external parasites Em and also stimulates their appetite into the bargain - Wonder Product Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Thanks Clare you are a little trooper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
