Chickens won't use Dust Bath

[AbbyTeters]

Sorry if this is a repost, but I can't find exactly what I am looking for.

I added a dust bath bin for my chickens last week. The dirt in their run was pretty soft over the winter, but we have very hard clay soil and it has been very dry lately, so I noticed they keep trying to dig, but can't. So I thought this would be good for them.

The dust bath is organic peat moss, DE and dried herbs from my garden.

They won't even go near it. I have tried setting them down in it and they immediately hop out and don't go back.

Is there a way to entice them or train them to use it? Am I missing something?
Thanks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

They probably don't like the smell of the peat moss or herbs.

I simply buy playground sand from the local grocery store garden aisle and add a bit of dirt.

Skip the herbs and smellier stuff. Peat doesn't likely act like soil they want.

LofMc

 

[SilverBirds]

They like dirt. Regular, traditional, dusty, dirt. Doesn't have to be fancy. The moss and herbs probably deter them from using it. The peat moss doesn't have the same affect as dirt. And they may not like the smell of the herbs.

 

[AbbyTeters]

They probably don't like the smell of the peat moss or herbs.

I simply buy playground sand from the local grocery store garden aisle and add a bit of dirt.

Skip the herbs and smellier stuff. Peat doesn't likely act like soil they want.

LofMc

Thanks. I am new at this and had read not to use play sand because it was bad for their lungs. All of our dirt is the hard clay, so should I just buy a bag of potting soil with no fertilizers, etc?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Thanks. I am new at this and had read not to use play sand because it was bad for their lungs. All of our dirt is the hard clay, so should I just buy a bag of potting soil with no fertilizers, etc?

Yes. Potting soil with no fertilizers would work well. You could mix with sand.

If you want to save their lungs, ditch the DE. That is ground shells of diatoms made up of primarily silica. You can check the internet for cases of silicosis caused lung disorders for both man and beast.

I won't use it in my flock.

LofMc

 

[Ebony Rose]

DE is NOT good for their respiratory system.

At your local garden store, buy yourself a plain old bag of dirt (potting soil).
At your local hardware / home improvement store, buy a plain old bag of construction grade sand (undyed, and not chemically treated... and much less expensive that 'play sand')
Dump the two bags into/onto your designated dust bathing site and let your flock mix it for you.
If they seem disinterested at first, you might consider a light sprinkle of whatever cracked grain or seed that you treat them to on top of the new dirt. Let them get their toes in it, and see how that appeals to them. Not too much treats, but enough to get them to 'touch' the new soil.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I give mine peat moss, but I use only peat moss, nothing else mixed in.

Any photo of the dust bath bin? If the bin is new to them, that can also be part of the reason, since they're not used to it and may find it scary. So you'd need to give them some time to adjust to it being there.

 

[3KillerBs]

Maybe try taking a pickax to the compacted soil to soften it up a bit for them?

 

[RoyalChick]

Maybe try taking a pickax to the compacted soil to soften it up a bit for them?

Yes. That ^^
In my experience chickens cannot resist getting involved when you start digging. I am on hard clay soil and would need a pickaxe to break ground. Once broken they will be all over it!

 

[LilRedmamma]

Curious, I googled peat moss for chickens… it’s not recommended- something about the bacteria and it’s too clumpy.
Mine love just plain dirt, kicking and wallowing in it. I add wood and (junk mail) paper ashes plus paver sand, even vacuum cleaner dust. A 2 x3 spot underneath the coop is ‘their’ dust bath hole. But they create holes everywhere in the run with just dry straw too!