Why Do Chickens Dust Bathe?

Why do chickens dust bathe? Chickens dust bathe for several reasons. The primary ones being because it seems to be enjoyable for them and it provides natural health benefits that would be important for a flock’s survival in the wild. It seems contradictory, but dust bathing is one way that a chicken stays clean! Dust bathing, preening, and sunbathing are the primary ways that a chicken cares for its feather and skin. Dust bathing is an instinctual behavior for chickens to perform and it is essential for a healthy and happy homestead flock. Let’s discuss just exactly what dust bathing is, how it benefits your flock, how you can build a DIY dust bath for your chickens, and when chicks can have their first bath too!

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What is a Dust Bath?

A dust bath is an area of loose dirt that chickens use for taking dust bathes. The behavior of dust bathing is instinctual for chickens and necessary for them to stay healthy. Chickens don’t take bathes in water like other birds do. One reason could be because waiting for all their feathers to dry out would take a long time and compromise their survival in the wild.

Instead, chickens bathe in the dirt. They will lay in an area of loose, dry dirt and proceed to fluff their feathers and shuffle their feet to kick dirt all over and through their feathers. The dirt coats their feathers and sifts down next to their skin.

When a chicken is done dust bathing, it will stand up and fluff all of its feathers. This produces a large dust cloud that gets rid of any extra dirt. Chickens love dust bathing together and it seems to be a community activity. Dirt can really get flying when several chickens are sharing the same dust bath spot!

Sometimes chickens who are not interested in dust bathing at the time will join the party and sort through the loose dirt created by dust bathing looking for bugs that get dug up. Either way, dust bathing is not only essential for a chicken’s health, but it also seems to build flock relationships.

Why do Chickens Dust Bathe?

Like I mentioned earlier, dust bathing is an instinctual behavior for chickens. It is their version of bathing to stay clean. Dust bathing serves several important roles in keeping a chicken healthy:

• Control Oils- Chickens have an oil gland located at the base of their tail. They use the oil from the oil gland to spread on their feathers for feather health and water-resistance. Sometimes the oil gland will produce too much oil and dust bathing can help absorb the extra oils.
• Removes Dead Skins– The act of dust bathing can help remove dead skin and promote good skin health.
• Parasite Control– When dirt sifts down next to the skin during dust bathing it can smother and dry-out tiny external parasites.
• Staying Cool– During the summer months, chickens will sometimes take a slow version of a dust bath. They minimize their movements but still enjoy laying in the cool, refreshing dirt. Chickens enjoy a shaded dust bath spot during hot summer days.
• Community– It also seems that chickens like to dust bath simply for pleasure and as a flock activity.

Dust bathing is essential for the health and well-being of a flock. If you don’t provide your homestead flock with a place to dust bath, they will create their own dust bathing spot!

Dust Bathing vs Sunbathing

Along with dust bathing, chickens will also sunbathe. When you first see a chicken sunbathing it can look rather startling! They will often plop down in random sunny spots and lay on their side. This is often accompanied by fluffing up their neck and head feathers and spreading out one of their wings. It almost looks like they are dead! Especially since their eyes are often dilated due to the bright sun.

However, sunbathing is also a natural and instinctual behavior for chickens. It is more common for chickens to sunbath in cooler regions and during the spring or fall. One of the reasons why chickens sunbath it to absorb the heat from the sun and from the ground. On cool spring days you may find your flock sunbathing in a sunny area of their enclosure or yard.

Sunbathing can also help control external parasites by making the chicken’s skin too hot for the parasites to live comfortable. The sun can dehydrate the tiny parasites very quickly too.

Sunbathing does not always involve dirt. However, sometimes chickens will use their dust bathing spot as a sunbathing spot as well. It also seems that sunbathing is another community behavior that several individuals from the flock will participate in at the same time.

How to Make a Chicken Dust Bath

The need to dust bath is so instinctual that chickens will seek out their own place to dust bath if you don’t provide them with a dust bathing spot. Even if you do provide them with a dust bathing spot, they may pick out their own spot regardless!

Luckily, building a chicken dust bath is pretty simple. There are just a few key factors you need to consider in order to make your DIY chicken dust bath as appealing as possible for your flock.

Dust Bath Location

As far as a chicken is concerned, the more choices it has for locations in which to dust bath, the better! Most of the time chicken like sunny, dry locations for their dust bathes. However, during the hot summer months, a shaded dust bath is nice for your flock to cool off in.

The dust bath should also be located near some element of protection. Whether that be the chicken coop, a DIY shelter, a big shrub or bush, or anything that your chickens can take cover under. This will make them feel safer in the event of a predator attack.

Where you build the chicken dust bath is up to you. Whether it be in the chicken coop, the enclosure, or your flock’s free-range yard. Ideally, the dust bath should be located in either the enclosure or the free-range yard to minimize the amount of dust that gets riled up in the chicken coop. Regardless of where the dust bath is located, make sure it is far enough away from perches, nesting boxes, feeders, and waterers to prevent those things from getting soiled and dirty!

While chickens do like sunny spots for dust bathing, you should also consider protecting the dust bath spot from precipitation. The dirt must be loose and dry in order to be used for a dust bath. For northern flocks, a dust bath located in a sheltered enclosure is appreciated during the winter months when natural dust bathing locations may be inaccessible due to precipitation.

Dust Bath Size

Dust bathing is a community activity, and the bigger homestead flock you have, the bigger dust bath they will need! Ideally, ensure at least 3-4 birds can use the dust bath at the same time. For bigger flocks you should consider making the dust bath as big as possible to allow more birds to bathe at the same time.

Dust Bath Container

Containing the dust bath can be tricky! In some situations, containing the dust bath will be impossible. Especially if you are utilizing natural dust bathing spots or spots that have been pre-chosen by your flock.

However, if you are building a chicken dust bath for the chicken coop enclosure, you can consider utilizing many different objects to contain the chicken dust bath. No matter what container you use, make sure it is big enough, deep enough, and easy for chickens to get in and out of.

Here are a couple DIY chicken dust bath container ideas:

• custom cut plastic totes
• wooden crates
• galvanized tubs
• large flower pots or barrels
• boards
• logs
• rocks

Chicken Dust Bath Ingredients

Chickens don’t mind just plain ol’ native dirt for dust bathing as long as it loose and dry. However, there are some dust bath amendments you can add to your flock’s homemade dust bath. They can provide further health benefits or improve the condition of the dust bath.

The essential ingredient that all chicken dust baths should be made of is dirt. Loose, dry, preferably native (soil that is already present in your location) dirt is the best component of a chicken dust bath.

If your native soil is not loose and dry, you may consider adding some soil amendments or mixing up a dust bath soil for your flock. Sand is often used for chicken dust bathes, however, it is not always a chicken’s preferred bathing material. It can be helpful for exfoliating and absorbing excess oil, but dirt is better at smothering and killing parasites.

If you do use sand, mix it with a heavier soil. Only use construction-grade sand, which is sometimes labeled as all-purpose, contractors, or multipurpose sand. You don’t want a super fine sand that could potentially be ingested and cause crop problems. Don’t use play sand as it is too fine and often treated with chemicals.

Another popular dust bath amendment is peat moss or coconut coir. Both of these amendments can be added to the dust bath to help keep the dirt light, aerated, and dry. They are especially good for clay-based soil.

In the end, the chicken dust bath should be composed of loose, dry dirt that chickens can easily roll around in and fling on themselves.

There are some other dust bath ingredients you can use, including diatomaceous earth, sulfur dust, lime, wood ash, charcoal, and herbs. However, these have both benefits and cautions which we will discuss at another time.

Dust Bath Asssmebly

Once you have the location, size, method of containment, and dust bath ingredients all set, you just need to assemble the dust bath! If you are using a location that the chickens have already chosen, you may not need to do too much adaptations. If you are building a chicken dust bath from scratch, you will need to assemble the dust bath in an ideal location.

Simply set up the dust bath container and fill it with plenty of loose, dry dirt! If you are adding any amendments, just add a little sprinkle of each amendment to start with. You want the dust bath to be mostly composed of good loose dirt.

Soon your flock will soon be using and enjoying their new homemade dust bath! If you flock ignores the dust bath or chooses their own spot for a dust bath instead, consider why they are rejecting your homemade dust bath. Is the dirt too sandy? Is there not enough protection nearby? Are there too many amendments in the dust bath?

Regardless if your flock uses your homemade dust bath or chooses their own spot, having a location that your flock can access for regular dust bathes is important for their health and happiness!

When Can Chicks Dust Bathe?

The need to dust bath starts at a young age, and chicks instinctually know how to dust bath even when a mother hen is not present to show them. Making a dust bath in the brooder can be a great way to provide natural stimulation for your brood and encourage instinctual behaviors.

When chicks are raised by a broody hen, mother hen will lead her brood to a dust bathing spot the first chance she gets. Chicks can dust bath starting at a young age, however, when hand raising your chicks it is best to wait until they are at least 5-7 days old before introducing the dust bath. That way they don’t mistake the dirt for food.

How to Make a Chick Dust Bath

To make a brooder dust bath, follow the same guidelines for building a ‘big hen’ dust bath, just on a smaller scale. Despite being on a smaller scale, still ensure that at least 3-4 chicks can fit in the dust bath at a time. You will more than likely want to contain the brooder dust bath in a shallow container to prevent dirt from being spread all over the brooder.

Make sure the container is deep enough to contain the dust bath ingredients but still easy for the small chicks to access. Start by just using clean, dry native dirt for the chick dust bath. You can sprinkle in a few herbs for added benefits. However, try to keep the dust bath as natural as possible since chicks are so small and sensitive to their environment.

If your chicks are scared of their new dust bath, just give them time to explore the new object in their brooder. They will quickly realize what the container of dirt can be used for and will soon be obsessed with taking dust bathes. If your chicks get too carried away with dust bathing and start eating the dirt you will want to limit how long you leave the dust bath in the brooder.

As your chicks grow, you may consider introducing them to the ‘big hen’ dust bath when it is not in use. Your chicks will love the grand size of their new bathing spot!

Let Them Bathe in Dirt!

It’s instinctual for all animals to want to bathe and keep clean. It just so happens that chickens like to bathe in dirt! Providing your flock with a dust bath is essential for allowing them to participate in the instinctual behavior of dust bathing that they seem to crave. Dust bathing not only makes them happy, but it helps them stay clean and parasite free. A dust bath is essential for a happy and healthy homestead flock!

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by Alexa