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PSA: My chickens were basically living on a dust bath for two years
I always just threw a bag of sand in their run area, thinking it was fine. Then my friend Karen from the feed store in Springfield came over, stuck her hand in it, and said 'Paul, this is just construction sand, it's compacting like cement.' She showed me how to mix in actual dry dirt and wood ash. Has anyone else messed up their dust bath mix this bad?
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ellis.victor16d ago
Just realized I've been using the same bag of cheap sandbox sand for ages. My poor hens were probably wondering why their spa day felt like trying to dig in wet concrete. I even caught one giving me the serious side-eye last week, which I now fully deserve.
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danielm4815d ago
Ever think about what kind of dirt they'd pick in the wild? I bet they'd go for that dry, powdery stuff under big trees. That cheap sand probably packs down hard and doesn't let them fluff it up right. No wonder she was giving you the look, she couldn't get her feathers clean. Maybe try mixing in some dry soil or wood ash to break it up.
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Feel for you, man. I see @ellis.victor's point about the side-eye, they're pretty good at letting you know. A proper dust bath mix is a basic thing we all manage to overthink sometimes.
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