Poorly chicken

[witzend]

WIR will be on flags - what's best size for a dust bath (for 3/4 bantam size chooks)? Has anyone been creative in making one??

 

My classic will be on a table - possibly plastic garden type. Anyone any creative ideas for ladders???

[Roobaloo]

I use the little picket "edging" fences they sell at Homebase for ladders, others use the rigid log roll ones, which are probably better for bantams!! I just cut the 'stakes' off and cable tie them in place!

 

Link 1

 

Link 2

 

For the dust bath, I have a wooden planter filled with a mix of compost, play sand and Diatom! It fits two hybrids at once!

 

Link 3

 

I have been considering buying a kiddies play table...it's like a standard kiddies picnic bench but the table has a built in sand pit!!

[witzend]

is there an optimum width for the ladder and/or rungs? Does the angle to the table matter?

[witzend]

what's DIATOM??

[Roobaloo]

Diatom is a powder that lots of people use for natural mite control....Diatomaceous (sp?) Earth! I'm sure they sell it in the Omlet shop!

 

As for distance between rungs, just a natural step...for my hybrids, I'd guess 10-15cm between rungs...the beauty of those edging fences is that they use the long bars that go the length if the distance is too great!

...my Mum's Polands probably 6-10cms. I wouldn't go any steeper than 45 degrees from the floor...if possible, make it as gentle a slope as possible!

[Henergy]

I use my childrens old sandpit as a dust bath - its probably too big for two, so working on rectifying that !

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I have various ladder type things in my WIR - have a look at my signature link. My favourite is a Y shaped branch to which I cable-tied the uprights from an Ikea shoerack . I've also made one out of part of a pallet using dismantled wooden roosting bars for the rungs (just behind the black hen).

 

[zakjon-98]

Very jealous of your WIR !

My chickens dig their own dust baths in the garden.

[witzend]

WOW!

[Roobaloo]

I have various ladder type things in my WIR - have a look at my signature link. My favourite is a Y shaped branch to which I cable-tied the uprights from an Ikea shoerack . I've also made one out of part of a pallet using dismantled wooden roosting bars for the rungs (just behind the black hen).

 

 

You're definitely the Master, ANH! Your run was my inspiration when trying to come up with new ramps/shelves etc!!

 

I just want to know how you keep it so clean!! I've got two "shelves" and 3 ladders and it's a nightmare trying to scrub poo off them!!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That is the one downside . Luckily, they've all now taken to sleeping with bums facing the garage wall so all the poop falls down the gap to the floor below .

 

*Top Tip - don't put shelves flush against walls*

[witzend]

would the sides of a baby crib - turned vertical - be ok for a ladder? I'm thinking it would be easier to clean and/or easier to keep free of mites etc than a DIY one??

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I think that would be fine - you can always try it and see if they manage it .

 

I've got the ladder from ES's cabin bed (we cut the legs down to make an ordinary bed - at 6' 4" he'd outgrown it ) and I'm tempted to try that in the run . I think the rungs might be too far apart though .

[snowberry]

That is the one downside . Luckily, they've all now taken to sleeping with bums facing the garage wall so all the poop falls down the gap to the floor below .

 

*Top Tip - don't put shelves flush against walls*

 

I'm loving that Top Tip, I would never have thought of that

[Ain't Nobody Here]

To be honest, I didn't either - it just so happens that the shelf has warped with time and a gap has appeared .