Although being simple creatures, chickens nevertheless have some fundamental needs, one of which is a dust bath for chickens. Here you have a guide for the best DIY guide to make a dust bath for chickens.
You may also want to read about the best chicken coop.
Why do chickens need to bathe in dust?
Instead of taking a regular water bath, chickens roll around in the dirt. Insects and parasites that may be residing on them are smothered, their skin is exfoliated, and old, loose feathers are shed.
Chickens are susceptible to contracting mites and lice, little parasites that deplete their health and may even result in death.
It is your responsibility as a chicken keeper to give your animals a dust wash to aid in their natural defense against these pests.
You can bet your bottom dollar that your hens will create a dust bathing place on their own if you don’t give them one.
Chickens naturally take dust baths, and they’ll do it in your garden or wherever else they can find loose soil.
Giving your birds a place to take a dust bath is beneficial for their health as well as for keeping them away from your priceless landscape.
How to Create a Dust Bath for Chickens at Home
There are several different approaches you can use when creating your own dust, or dirt, bath for your chickens.
Here, we’ll teach you some fundamental concepts, and it’s up to you to get inventive based on your current resources.
Select a Container in Step 1
Finding a suitable container for the dust bath for chickens is the first step.
The container must be both tall enough to contain the dust bath components while your hens are bathing in it and low enough for fowl to readily jump in and out of.
The best dust bath for chickens container is a kiddie pool, shallow bins, used tires, and sandboxes also work.
Then, add soil.
The primary component of your chicken’s dust bath is soil. It doesn’t matter what is readily available to you; anything can be used as the soil for the dust bath.
It will do well to use loose, loamy soil from the yard or garden, but make sure there is no clay present. You can purchase a bag of top soil or peat moss to put in its stead if you don’t want to go digging in the yard.
We mix equal parts dirt and wood ash into our chicken dust bath, which we’ll discuss next.
Add wood ash or diatomaceous earth in step three.
Wood ash or diatomaceous earth should be added adjacent to your chicken’s dust bath.
Both of these powdered ingredients considerably reduce the number of insects that live on your chickens. Both your wood stove and an outdoor fire pit can produce wood ash. Any type of wood ash will work as long as it’s cool and dry. Your flock won’t benefit from wet wood ash.
You can leave any small pieces of charcoal in the wood ash without filtering it if there are any. The charcoal may be nibbled on by chickens, but it won’t harm them.
Wood ash has so many ingenious uses around the house and garden, in addition to being used to make a chicken dust bath.
Diatomaceous Earth, often known as DE, can be used in place of wood ash if you don’t have access to it. This bag of Harris Diatomaceous Earth is the most popular brand.
DE is a powdery material created by phytoplankton fossils. It works similarly to wood ash to eliminate parasites and bugs that are dwelling on your chickens without endangering the animals.
Add dried herbs in Step 4
Although they are not absolutely necessary, dried herbs add a wonderful touch to your dust bath.
Your chickens can fend off insects with the aid of dried herbs. Even nibbling on the herbs as the birds bathe will be beneficial to their health.
Although you can buy dried herbs, drying your own herbs from your garden is far more affordable. It’s simpler than you would imagine!
You should add the following dried herbs to your dust bath.
- Oregano
- Basil
- Lavender
- Mint
- Sage
- Marjoram
- Parsley
You might also include some weeds in your mud bath that are edible. These are several weeds that hens enjoy eating as well as those that are poisonous.
When you’re through making your chicken’s dust bath, properly combine everything.
The chickens may enjoy the dust bath all day long in the chicken run, which is where we prefer to keep it.
Make sure your dust bath is covered if you intend to keep it outside so it won’t get wet.
It won’t be used by your chickens if it’s dirty and filthy. If your chicken run doesn’t have a roof, you can make due without one by using a tarp, umbrella, or box to block the rain.
