Dust bath in the winter?

[Winston1]

Hi! Does everyone include a dust bath in the winter months? I have a covered one outside but it's in the 20's consistently now and the girls don't leave their coop! I can't really get any dirt right now...thoughts? Oh! They do have an enclosed covered run but it's small and I have their food, water, grit and oyster shells there...and 2 roosts that I built so I'm limited on space.

Thanks!

 

[aart]

So they are not going out to eat and drink?

Pics of coop and run would help here @Winston1 .

 

[Old Lady 5301]

Hi! Does everyone include a dust bath in the winter months? I have a covered one outside but it's in the 20's consistently now and the girls don't leave their coop! I can't really get any dirt right now...thoughts? Oh! They do have an enclosed covered run but it's small and I have their food, water, grit and oyster shells there...and 2 roosts that I built so I'm limited on space.

Thanks!

Hi Winston 1. I have a coop that is raised off the dirt about 2 feet and I put sand and DE down throughout the winter. My girls dust bathe all the time, especially if the sun is shining. I also have an area behind the garage that is part of their run. I do the same thing there, under the roof overhang.

 

[Winston1]

Hi! Does everyone include a dust bath in the winter months? I have a covered one outside but it's in the 20's consistently now and the girls don't leave their coop! I can't really get any dirt right now...thoughts? Oh! They do have an enclosed covered run but it's small and I have their food, water, grit and oyster shells there...and 2 roosts that I built so I'm limited on space.

Thanks!

Yes, they are eating and drinking in the covered run, but I'll be back with pics so you can see the layout. They have an upper coop with their roosts and that's where they sleep. They walk down the ladder in the morning to the covered run where the food/water/grit/oyster shells are....I keep the covered run door open where they have access to basically another run but that isn't covered...it's basically to protect from them from my dogs and any other predators. That's where the covered dust bath is. I'll send pics...stay tuned...