[AG-EQ] Chickens =?iso-8859-1?Q?Don=E2=80=99t_Take_Water_Baths_=E2=80=93_They_Take_Dust_Ba?=ths!

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Susan.
That's what I thought a chicken setup was like.  Good to know I'm not
utterly ignorant.
When my folks lived in the country, they had to always go out with their
small dogs, because a hawk or coyote would have enjoyed a tasty snack
about the size of a rabbit.

A friend's daughter has a small farm, and she has what she calls a chicken
tractor.  I imagine it's a kind of mobile chicken pen, so she can move her
hens around to add manure and eat bugs wherever she wants.  But I have no
idea what it looks like.
I love the names of chicken breeds, especially Buff Orpington.  Sounds
like a plump, brown hen to me, somehow.
Tracy


> 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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>
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