WHAT IS A DUST BATH?
Chickens care for their feathers and skin by digging shallow ditches in soil, mulch, sand, even pine shavings, then tossing it onto themselves. The dirt coats their feathers and settles next to their skin, absorbing excess moisture and oil. It also serves to repel parasites that could set up housekeeping among the feathers, causing skin and feather damage, irritation, weight loss and interfere with egg production and fertility. Dust baths also serve as a recreational activity, a social event and exercise- think of it as chicken yoga! In hot weather, a chicken digs down into the ground to rest in cooler soil to lower its body temperature.
At the end of a dust bath, the dirt is shaken off and the chicken proceeds to preen and groom its feathers back into place.
Post dust bath shake-out
Synchronized preening
From a very early age, chickens enjoy tossing bedding up into their feathers and settling down into the shallow ditches they have made. Baby chicks appreciate a sand box for this purpose, but will dust-bathe in pine shavings if sand is not made available.
This is a baby quail.
Quail enjoy dust baths as much as chickens!
Mulch beds are a favorite dust bathing location for my chickens
DUST-BATHING AREAS
When I was a new chicken-keeper, my chickens were confined to the run, which consisted of clay-laden earth that was much too dense for an enjoyable dust bath. I had read different suggestions for concocting dust baths that ran the gamut from sand to fireplace ash, road debris, food grade diatomaceous earth and garden powder, but none of those additives are necessary and some are dangerous. Wood ash becomes lye when wet. Road debris often contains salt and petroleum products and food grade diatomaceous earth is a hazard in a variety of ways to chicken health and human health. (read about them here) I recommend plain construction grade sand or clean, dry dirt from the chicken yard. The truth is: dirt or sand perform all of the functions chickens require of a dust bath- there is no need for additives. I use sand on the floor of my chicken runs and for litter in all of my coops and the chickens dust-bathe in all seasons and weather conditions.
ABOUT DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
I am often asked about the utility and safety of food grade, diatomaceous earth (DE) in dust bath areas. Not only is it unnecessary, it is unhealthy for chickens, humans and the environment. For a closer look at the hazards of DE, read these articles: here and here. I do not recommend the use of DE around chickens for any purpose.
Winter dust bath in the sand, under the coop. As long as the sand stays dry it will remain loose and good for dust-bathing all year
Thank goodness for that third eyelid!
Kathy Shea Mormino
Affectionately known internationally as The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino shares a fun-loving, informative style to raising backyard chickens. …Read on
shop my SPONSORS
WHAT IS A DUST BATH?
Chickens care for their feathers and skin by digging shallow ditches in soil, mulch, sand, even pine shavings, then tossing it onto themselves. The dirt coats their feathers and settles next to their skin, absorbing excess moisture and oil. It also serves to repel parasites that could set up housekeeping among the feathers, causing skin and feather damage, irritation, weight loss and interfere with egg production and fertility. Dust baths also serve as a recreational activity, a social event and exercise- think of it as chicken yoga! In hot weather, a chicken digs down into the ground to rest in cooler soil to lower its body temperature.
At the end of a dust bath, the dirt is shaken off and the chicken proceeds to preen and groom its feathers back into place.
Post dust bath shake-out
Synchronized preening
From a very early age, chickens enjoy tossing bedding up into their feathers and settling down into the shallow ditches they have made. Baby chicks appreciate a sand box for this purpose, but will dust-bathe in pine shavings if sand is not made available.
This is a baby quail.
Quail enjoy dust baths as much as chickens!
Mulch beds are a favorite dust bathing location for my chickens
DUST-BATHING AREAS
When I was a new chicken-keeper, my chickens were confined to the run, which consisted of clay-laden earth that was much too dense for an enjoyable dust bath. I had read different suggestions for concocting dust baths that ran the gamut from sand to fireplace ash, road debris, food grade diatomaceous earth and garden powder, but none of those additives are necessary and some are dangerous. Wood ash becomes lye when wet. Road debris often contains salt and petroleum products and food grade diatomaceous earth is a hazard in a variety of ways to chicken health and human health. (read about them here) I recommend plain construction grade sand or clean, dry dirt from the chicken yard. The truth is: dirt or sand perform all of the functions chickens require of a dust bath- there is no need for additives. I use sand on the floor of my chicken runs and for litter in all of my coops and the chickens dust-bathe in all seasons and weather conditions.
ABOUT DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
I am often asked about the utility and safety of food grade, diatomaceous earth (DE) in dust bath areas. Not only is it unnecessary, it is unhealthy for chickens, humans and the environment. For a closer look at the hazards of DE, read these articles: here and here. I do not recommend the use of DE around chickens for any purpose.
Winter dust bath in the sand, under the coop. As long as the sand stays dry it will remain loose and good for dust-bathing all year
Thank goodness for that third eyelid!
my girls started dust bathing the minute i placed them in their new coop and run. i love watching them they are very entertaining
My Pullets are not dust bathing. I've given them a kiddy pool full of construction sand and another one full of dirt and mulch combined. None of them touch it. They are constantly pecking at themselves and seem like they itch. I haven't seen mites or anything on them, but I'm worried. I've read your blog on the mites and don't see signs. Is there anything I can do to get them to start bathing in the sand (outside of me diving in, that is)??
Last year I decided to try the sand in our chicken house. I liked it. It was easy to clean, the chickens loved it and it was clean and kept the odor down. Today I'm shoveling it all out and will never use it again! My black Silkie, Licorice has been to our vet three times last week to have her crop flushed. When we realized we had to go back for the third flushing our vet decided to take X-rays to see what was in Licorices crop. It's sand! It's been accumulating gradually for over a year! She is… Read more »
Im wondering that as well. I have sand in my coop and hen house. My girls are nine weeks and I have never seen them do this. And I watch them A LOT!
I have sand in my coop. My chicks are about 6 weeks old. Haven't seen them dust bathe. When do they start?