Dust Bath for Chicks

[MadChickenMama]

Two of my chicks have tried to take dust baths. One on a towel and the other in the food bowl. I didn't realize they needed that so soon, they're not quite 2 weeks old. My sister didn't have dust baths for her chicks and I never came across anything that talked about that for chicks.

Do I need to get my chicks one or are they just going through the motions?

 

[Mimi13]

Two of my chicks have tried to take dust baths. One on a towel and the other in the food bowl. I didn't realize they needed that so soon, they're not quite 2 weeks old. My sister didn't have dust baths for her chicks and I never came across anything that talked about that for chicks.

Do I need to get my chicks one or are they just going through the motions?

Haha, isn’t it cute? I don’t think they actually need it like they will when older, however, it’s never too soon. And yes, they’re going through the motions because it’s instinct, just like scratching for food. They will dust bathe in anything and will be so adorable doing it.

 

[Zinjifrah]

If you do, they'll love it. Mine want to be able to dust bathe from just a few days old, pretty much. My first batch of Seramas would take turns bathing in their food dish, with the others standing around eating the food off the one bathing, even AFTER I provided one for them.

 

[GrannyHeeney]

I had been given a kiddie pool set up as a dust bath--it had ashes and DE in it, but that horrid month-and-a-half downpour eventually soaked it. Right now, I just have DE in it because it's so dry now ("Something biblical's going on!" LOL) that I'm afraid to burn wood (we're right up against a forest). The girls have ignored it, other than the occasion poo dropped in while running through it to get to the cage door. Any suggestions on alternative dust bath ingredients?

 

[Mimi13]

I had been given a kiddie pool set up as a dust bath--it had ashes and DE in it, but that horrid month-and-a-half downpour eventually soaked it. Right now, I just have DE in it because it's so dry now ("Something biblical's going on!" LOL) that I'm afraid to burn wood (we're right up against a forest). The girls have ignored it, other than the occasion poo dropped in while running through it to get to the cage door. Any suggestions on alternative dust bath ingredients?

No need for anything fancy, just some good old dirt. The chicks/chickens will have it broken into the finest particles ever in no time at all. Let me see, leaves, sand, mulch (especially if it’s in your nicely landscaped flower beds) will also work wonderfully.

 

[MadChickenMama]

If you do, they'll love it. Mine want to be able to dust bathe from just a few days old, pretty much. My first batch of Seramas would take turns bathing in their food dish, with the others standing around eating the food off the one bathing, even AFTER I provided one for them.

Lol! That's exactly what was going on! I got video of it!

 

[MadChickenMama]

Also, thanks everyone!

 

[GrannyHeeney]

No need for anything fancy, just some good old dirt. The chicks/chickens will have it broken into the finest particles ever in no time at all. Let me see, leaves, sand, mulch (especially if it’s in your nicely landscaped flower beds) will also work wonderfully.

I was going to say, looks like y'all just have some dirt! Thanks a ton, easy peasey, I'm on it!

 

[CannedMonster]

I had fresh beautiful dirt from the spot we dug out to lay the concrete foundation for our walk in coop.
I bought a small relatively shallow bin and put some dirt in it and placed it in the brooder.
It was a hit!
Three months later and it’s still in their run and they still use it occasionally.
Soon it’ll be put in with new chicks for them to enjoy.
My husband built them low roosts attached to 2 x 4s.
And so they could practice walking up a shallow angle he even made a small ramp leading to the dust bath.
By the time they went out to the coop & run at 8 weeks they were pros!

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Yup, just dirt. I add dead leaves and pine needles to my chicken run at least once a week, and they break it down pretty quickly. This week, I added a pile of dirt from a lawn project to their run and they fought over who was getting in there first!