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

[dogwood farm]

Tracy,

I had three different breeds, bard rocks, buff orphingtons and black
austrolorps from Australia.  They were all brown egg layers.  I never
let them roam around my yard.  Each breed had their own fenced in
enclosure that was wired on three sides and across the top.  The
fourth side was their coop front.  Their yard was 12 by 12 feet and
their coop was 12 feet by 5 foot.  There are way too many things
around here that would love a chicken dinner or two, including farrel
cats.  I do not willingly feed the wildlife around here. LOL

I am planning on having my coops stripped down and rewired this fall
and get my chickens back next spring now that I am capable of taking
care of them once again.

Susan

On 8/7/20, Tracy Carcione via AG-EQ <ag-eq at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi Susan.
> What kind of chickens do you have?  Do they run around the yard, at least
> during the day?  I always picture chickens being confined, at least a bit,
> to keep them safe, but maybe that's just a wrong idea I have.
> Tracy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AG-EQ [mailto:ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of dogwood farm via
> AG-EQ
> Sent: Thursday, August 06, 2020 10:10 AM
> To: Agricultural and Equestrean Division List
> Cc: dogwood farm
> Subject: [AG-EQ] Chickens Don’t Take Water Baths – They Take Dust Baths!
>
> 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
>
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