A chicken dust bathing tub is a necessary for chickens to keep their feathers and skin , and ultimately their wellness , in tip - top flesh . Plus , nothing make a chicken happy than louse up her feather and wriggling in Lord’s Day - warm up dirt . Before you set up your chicken dust bath , check out this inclination of dos and don’ts to allow a fun and secure time .
Life or Death in the Chicken Dust Bath? – A Personal Story
I decided to build an indoor detritus bath for volaille to use during the wintertime when the frozen earth prohibit them from frequent dust baths .
I manufacture the DIY chicken dust bathtub by filling a flexible plastic admixture tub with dirt and Sir Henry Joseph Wood ash tree . Their young accommodations delighted the hen , and they gayly scratched through the soil , looking for tasty morsels .
All was well until one Clarence Day when a strange speech sound came from my chickens in the barn . I hurried indoors to come up one of my Speckled Sussex hen , Kristi , wheezing . I stimulate her to the vet , where they put her on oxygen and did pinch radiographs to attain the lawsuit . The vet diagnosed her with rubble particles in her lungs ( probably due to improper ventilation while debris - washup ) and gave her less than a 50 % recovery rate .
My vet treated Kristi with a sex hormone injection and nebulizer treatment and sent her family with additional medications . After pick up around - the - clock care , Kristi return to the vet for a follow - up the next twenty-four hour period , where she was given a clean bill of health .
After Kristi ’s near - decease incident , I examined my chicken dust bath frame-up to guarantee the safest experience possible .
Why Do Chickens Need to Dust Bathe?
A chicken wriggling around in the dirt may look dirty , but this demeanour is how chickens keep themselves clean and free of external parasites . As a wimp fluffs its feathers while detritus bathing , a protective detritus coating settles on the tegument , create a dust barrier to prevent insect bites .
allow chickens to dust bathe in a natural setting decrease intimidation and cannibalistic behaviors amongst flock members in dame and grownup . Chicken dust bathing is a societal result that aid build a stiff bond between flock members . This innate behavior also reduce emphasis , allowing your flock to coexist more harmoniously .
Chicken Dust Bath Dos
How to make a chicken rubble bath is well-situated , but before you begin , here are several things all detritus - bathing spaces must have to create a safe and fun enrichment for your fold .
Natural is in effect : When given the option , chickens always prefer creating their own junk - bathe area . Nothing makes a biddy happier than scratching through new grass to the turd below . So , ply an unreal debris bath during the summertime months where hen can access this rude behaviour is n’t recommended . However , in wintertime , when the frosty ground is report in snow , chickens will happily utilize any dirt you’re able to offer .
add up Dried herbaceous plant : Many herbs work as natural insect repellents , so it seems only natural to sprinkle some dried herb in the dirt where your chicken debris bathe . Catnip , dill weed , finocchio , lavender , tidy sum , rosemary , thyme and milfoil are fantabulous worm repellent and help discourage other vermin such as black eye and snakes .
Erin Synder
out of doors Only : Only allowing chickens to dustbathe outside versus inside the coop is indispensable for proper flow of air to keep chicken ’ airway clean-living from dust particles .
brush up the Dirt : When using a kiddie pool , conciliatory conflate tub , or a child ’s sandbox , the soil should be replaced with new , white dirt . How often the dirt should be replaced will motley depending on the bit of chicken in the flock and how frequently chickens are allowed approach to the surface area . Erin Synder
Chicken Dust Bath Don’ts
Indoor Dust bathroom : Even in the most ventilated coops , airflow is still more restricted than out in the run . Never put a chicken dust bathing tub in the henhouse to preclude the risk of dust or dirt entering the air passage .
blank out the Wood Ash : Mrs. Henry Wood ash tree is often used in chicken dust bathtub areas . This lifelike ash has many health benefits but can irritate a chicken ’s sensitive air duct . To keep hens ’ airways unclouded while providing the wellness benefits of wood ash and charcoal grey , feed charcoal free - choice like you would grit or oyster shell .
Stay Clear of Fertilizer : When choose dirt for a rubble washup area for your flock , avoid soil with fertiliser since many contain harmful substances that can cause malady or death if ingested . ( This rule also applies to garden and lawns . )
Erin Synder
Erin Synder
