4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[simone]

silly ? but what do you put in there dust baths,

 

just getting stuff ready before my arrives on tuesday

[LaPoule]

Mine love a mix of potting compost and wood ash, as demonstrated here...

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, as it's the middle of summer, I've run out of ash! I have tried mixing the compost with aubiose, but it's not having the same enthusiastic response...

[ubereglu]

I tend to go for dusty/dry earth from the veg patch or under the hedge. They then break it up for themselves and have a lovely time!

[Chickvic]

Mine has compost, diatom and sand in it. They will use it or sometimes go down the bottom of the garden where there is dry earth and throw that around insteaad

[simone]

thanks for all the reply

 

canny wait till i get me chickens

[simon_blackwell1]

Mine have made about three of their own in various spots. I had no say or input into the design!!

[simone]

im sure if i get a place prepared for them, they will go elsewhere

[Sammy]

Mine have dry top soil (although that's easier said than done at the moment with the weather), Diatoms and louse powder (there's nothing like overkill and a nice smelling dustbath) and when we have some, cinders ash from the BBQ (hardly BBQ weather at the mo).

 

It did take them a week before my first girl discovered it and showed everyone else what to do, now they are in it every day. It's hilarous watching the dust clouds come off them as they have a good shake afterwards.

 

They haven't as yet made their own elsewhere in the garden but there's still time, they have only been with us for just short of 4 weeks and they certainly like digging so no doubt will make their own given a bit more time.

[Tink]

I bought a lovely blue cat littler tray and went and bought some playsand to put in it.... they turned their beaks up at it and made themselves a little 'pit' under one of the bushes...

[The Dogmother]

My girls have a vintage enamel wash bowl filled with soil and woodash (sand if I don't have ash) and I always add some Diatom. It's in their run so that it stays dry when the rest of the garden is too wet for them to use.

[LaPoule]

My girls have a vintage enamel wash bowl

 

Hmmm...very bunting cupcake

[The Dogmother]

I wish

 

I dug it up in the garden... it only has one handle, but is just the right size!

[Space Chick]

Mine have one like La Poule (Picasso is just the cutest by the way ), I fill mine with a mix of soil, play sand and Diatom. In fact Donna and Sarah-Jane are dustbathing in it as we speak. I also have a childs sandpit as an extra one, but they always choose the tub

[LaPoule]

Debs - Thanks! Picasso really is a lovely chicken. She is friendly and chatty, and loves to be carried around. However, after getting some new, white, chickens, I have noticed how shockingly dirty her crest is! Let's hope I can keep it cleaner once the WIR is built

[chelsea]

Mine also have the same tubtrug as LaPoule (to match the cube!!)

 

Just normal multipurpose compost in mine. It is in their walk in run though so nice and dry.

[K-F-C]

I've got pretty much everything mentioned in my dust bath... except chickens!!

[simone]

kfc

[rufusrooster]

my all weather dust bath (dogloo) is a big hit now, they wouldnt go in it until i persuaded them with some bread,

i couldnt be bothered to shovel mud from the garden so bought a bag of top soil from b&q, mixed in some diatom and stalosan f, now its dried out they love it. (well, Gene and Lisa do)