Charcoal Ashes Safe or Not Really????

[LilMissChickaD]

Is it safe for my chickens to have a dust bath in ashes that have charcoal in them? They are mixed with wood ashes from the smoke box from a smoker. I haven't let them dive in yet as I wanted to make sure it was safe for them. Thanks for everyone's help!!

 

[Chick Charm]

Yes ashes are safe and good for them too.

Wish ya the best.

 

[RedDrgn]

Yep, it's good stuff. Just make sure there is no grease or oil or anything mixed in (like juices from whatever was cooked in the smoker, etc.) or you'll end up with some very gooey chickens!

 

[LilMissChickaD]

Thanks a lot! Now I am just trying to figure out what to put it in to keep it dry. I saw where someone had used a kitty litter box but there are no snap on lids for those so I will have to come up with something.

 

[shmccarthy]

Are ashes from wood the same? My chickens keep trying to dust bathe in the fire pit's ashes and I keep chasing them out, I have no idea if its harmful to them or not.

 

[Den in Penn]

Fire place/ stove wood ash is what I prefer to use. The ashes from cook fires can contain unwanted things like grease and starter residue. Whether the fire pit has good ash depends on what is burnt in it.

 

[donrae]

I've always dumped our wood stove ashes in the coop for the girls to dust bathe in. I've been told it helps repel mites. Don't know if that's true or not, but I do know I've never had mites in 20 years.

 

[cubalaya]

We use the fireplace ash and the grill ash for the chickens. if we have a whole lot we put them on the garden.