Visited a friend's farm in Oregon and saw their chicken coop setup

I was out there last weekend and they have this huge walk-in coop with a covered run. What got me was they built a little sandbox area inside the run, and the hens were all dust bathing in it. They said it helps keep mites down and the chickens love it. Has anyone tried adding something like that, and does it actually work that well?

2 comments

2 Comments

pauljones5d ago

Tried making a fancy dust bath area once, but my chickens just used it as a second dinner bowl. Still built a simple sand patch later, and it does seem to keep them cleaner and happier. Guess I should skip the fancy upgrades next time.

blake_lewis5d ago

Built a sandpit in my run last spring. Used a mix of play sand and diatomaceous earth. Chickens use it every day. Their feathers look cleaner and I haven't seen a single mite since. Totally works.

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