Bathing Dust

Bathing dust lets chickens clean themselves the natural way.

They roll in the dust to soak up extra oils, cool off, and help discourage mites and lice. Use it all year—set a low tub in the run (a shallow tray works for older chicks), keep it dry, and replace after rain. A simple mix works well: play sand + fine dirt/topsoil + sifted wood ash, with a small sprinkle of food-grade diatomaceous earth if you like. Avoid perfumed litter, treated sand, or ash from charcoal briquettes/pressure-treated wood. Cleaner feathers and calmer birds are the big benefits.