Bathing Areas

Around our place, we’ve grown accustomed to the shallow dust-bathing pits made by the chickens and enjoy watching them “clean” themselves. If you prefer a less casual approach, chickens can be encouraged to dust bathe in specific areas by bringing in loose dirt and other additives. We don’t mind our chickens using our rugged bonfire pit (when not in use and completely cooled!) from time to time, but you might prefer to manage them by adding cooled ashes in a designated, outof-the-way bathing pit. Chicken-keeping blogger Lisa Steele (fresh-eggs-daily.com) grows herbs and adds them for a fragrant, holistic approach. Garden blogger Nina Ronstadt (ninagarden.wordpress.com) allows her chickens to bathe in a large plant pot she didn’t originally intend for them to use. Some people construct wood, brick or rock pits. Some even build simple lean-to type structures over dustbathing areas, thus offering their chickens a bit of shelter and, ahem, privacy for their baths.