[AG-EQ] Chickens Don’t Take Water Baths – They Take Dust Baths!

[dogwood farm]

Chickens Don’t Take Water Baths – They Take Dust Baths!
Bramblewood Farm

Chickens Take Dust Baths.  Watching a chicken take a dust bath is one
of the funniest chicken behaviors to observe (but it’s often
disturbing the first time new chicken-keepers observe it).

What Is Dust Bathing?
The chickens find some warm, dry, loose material like dirt, sand, or
mulch; and proceed to dig themselves in. They’ll dig and dig, throwing
dirt all over themselves, and make happy noises while doing it.

One place ours like to bath is beneath a window with a bench seat, and
we enjoy sitting there watching and listening to them.

Why Chickens Take Dust Baths
Chickens take dust baths to get clean and rid themselves of the
parasites that tend to afflict them (mites, fleas, etc.) because
instinct has taught them that the dust clogs the breathing pores of
the parasites, and kills them off.

They’ll find a suitable warm spot, close their eyes, and roll or dig
until they have dusted down to their skin. When they’re all done,
stand back because they’ll shake out a considerable amount of dust and
dirt.

Providing Bathing Facilities
All chickens should have access to dust baths because it’s a natural,
non-polluting cleaner and insecticide for them. Even if chickens are
completely confined, it’s easy to put together suitable dusting
facilities.

Simply take a large shallow pan (I’ve seen kitty litter pans, small
kiddy pools, and wooden boxes) and fill it with loose dirt, sand,
hardwood ashes (another good use for fireplace ash), or a combination
of these. Place it where it won’t get wet, and in the warmest spot
available during cold months.

Dust Bath Maintenance
If you provide artificial bathing facilities for your chickens, you’ll
need to clean the droppings out periodically, and completely change
the contents every few weeks.

Small amounts of food-grade diatomaceous earth can also be added to
the bathing material to help control any build-up of parasites. The
sharp edges of the diatomaceous earth pierce the soft body parts of
the parasites and kill them.

Dust Baths to Keep Clean & Parasite Free
At first, we didn’t realize the importance of dust bathing for
chickens and didn’t provide ours any facilities. Being smart chickens,
they quickly turned one corner of their pen into a dust bathing
station, and also have several favorite locations established around
the yard.

If you want super clean, bug-free chickens, make sure they have
dusting facilities – they’ll love you, and you’ll chuckle as you watch
them dust.

Susan