Howdy,
Well if you got birds in a cage like I got quail you have more issues with their health. Lice and mites being the biggest problems. Free range birds like chickens and guinea fowl have access to plain old dirt to take a dust bath in. For caged birds its up to you to provide. Its best if you go a step farther too. In addition to dirt in a pan provide Diatomaceous Earth. It's an extremely fine dirt that comes from the skeletons of ocean diatoms. This powder has very small but sharp edges that are death to bugs. It cuts open the exoskeletons of the bugs and they dehydrate and die. You can also use it in your pets beds, or just dust them with it once and a while. They can eat small amounts in their food for intestinal parasites. Once a week I dust my birds.
Twenty pound bag from tractor supply |
of Diatomaceous Earth. Into the coops it goes!
It took no time for them to dive in! |
They all try to crowd in. |
Some quickly dirty birds.
The excess dirt that they kick up goes right into their waste pans under the coop. Ants and flies quickly cease to be a problem! Got a problems with ants in your house? This is the white stuff that your pest control person puts around your door sill. As long as it stays dry its good for pest control.