Dust Bath Material.

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woodruffsdad

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I am about to install a dust bath in my chicken run.

Can someone advise me of the best material to fill it with please?

I don't have access to wood ash which I understand is popular and because I work full time I need to be able to fill up the dust bath quickly but efficiently.

Is it possible to buy containers of ready made dust bath material?
 
Dry earth (or fairly dry) is sufficient Woodruffsdad. Alternatively you can buy a 20Kg bag of kiln dried sand from the builders merchants. It is used for filling the gaps between block paving. To clarify wood ash (potash) is only added in tiny amounts, say 10% maximum. It is a French and American treatment against mites and lice. Being a very fine ash it suffocates the creatures, but add too much and you will give your chickens respiratory problems. So suffocate the bugs, not the poultry. You can use sawdust I've heard, but never tried. Ours sometimes bath in the fresh wood shavings in the coops.
 
chrismahon said:
Dry earth (or fairly dry) is sufficient Woodruffsdad. Alternatively you can buy a 20Kg bag of kiln dried sand from the builders merchants. It is used for filling the gaps between block paving. To clarify wood ash (potash) is only added in tiny amounts, say 10% maximum. It is a French and American treatment against mites and lice. Being a very fine ash it suffocates the creatures, but add too much and you will give your chickens respiratory problems. So suffocate the bugs, not the poultry. You can use sawdust I've heard, but never tried. Ours sometimes bath in the fresh wood shavings in the coops.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Could I use a mix of, say, 50/50 earth and sand? What about adding a parasite killer such as Diatom?
 
I get a bag or two of play sand from Homebase and use it for both my hens and quails. You may need to dry it off at this time of year if the bags have been stored out of doors. In summer I spread it on a tarpaulins in the sun, but in winter you may need to warm it on trays in the oven. It will only work and be attractive to the hens if its dry and can be worked into their feathers, whatever materials you use. You can add anything granular and dry, such as the contents of used grow bags or any spare ordinary earth from the garden.
Have a good deep dustbath, any container will do, I use an uptipurned base from an old water butt stand, or buy a deep plastic box. They will roll around in the dust and then stand up to shake it off, so with a shallow container much will be wasted. You don't need to top it up very often. I just add some redmite powder or diatom to the top layers and they work it in. This is more economical than mixing it all through the contents right down to the bottom.
 
Marigold said:
I get a bag or two of play sand from Homebase and use it for both my hens and quails. You may need to dry it off at this time of year if the bags have been stored out of doors. In summer I spread it on a tarpaulins in the sun, but in winter you may need to warm it on trays in the oven. It will only work and be attractive to the hens if its dry and can be worked into their feathers, whatever materials you use. You can add anything granular and dry, such as the contents of used grow bags or any spare ordinary earth from the garden.
Have a good deep dustbath, any container will do, I use an uptipurned base from an old water butt stand, or buy a deep plastic box. They will roll around in the dust and then stand up to shake it off, so with a shallow container much will be wasted. You don't need to top it up very often. I just add some redmite powder or diatom to the top layers and they work it in. This is more economical than mixing it all through the contents right down to the bottom.
Click to expand...

Thank you.
 
Hi Woodruffsdad.
If you remind us where you are, someone's bound to have a log burner or wood fire & be able to give you some free wood ash at this time of year...
 
What sort of sand is best? I have a Homebase and a B&Q near me and all they sell is soft sand and sharp sand.
 
Hi Woodruffsdad. Soft sand is building sand, which is unwashed and full of natural salts. Don't use that. Sharp sand is washed sand and the same basically as kiln dried sand but it hasn't been dried. Have you no proper builders merchants (like Travis Perkins) near you, as opposed to DIY stores?
 
Yes there are builders merchants nearby but they're closed when I'm not at work.

Perhaps I should go for a bag of Homebase sharp sand and then dry it out.
 
The playsand from Homebase is lovely and clean and often, in Spring, it comes on offer when people are making sandpits for their children and then I get several, which last me a long time. Also the bags aren't too enormous, so possible to lift (just!)
 
Marigold said:
The playsand from Homebase is lovely and clean and often, in Spring, it comes on offer when people are making sandpits for their children and then I get several, which last me a long time. Also the bags aren't too enormous, so possible to lift (just!)
Click to expand...

I went to my local Homebase (Stroud) and they don't sell it. I went to the nearest large Homebase (Gloucester) and it was not in stock.

So I went to B&Q and picked up a 25 kg. bag of Blooma non-toxic play sand for £4.98.

I presume that'll be O.K. for my dust bath?
 
Hi Woodruffsdad. Yes, it should be fine for your dust bath, & for the hens' dust bath too :lol:
 
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