Why Do Chickens Need a Dust Bath? We Ask Gail Damerow

Chickens always find a way to take a dust bath, whether indoors in the coop bedding or outdoors in dry soil. Even baby chicks instinctively dust bathe in the brooder. Here, we continue our interview series with Gail Damerow, poultry expert and best-selling author, we ask her to explain why chickens need a dust bath.

What is a dust bath?

A dust bath is just what it sounds like. Some birds prefer to bathe in water. Chickens are among those that prefer to bathe in dust.

A chicken lies down in loose, dusty material, then flaps its wings and thrashes its feet until dust coats its entire body. The chicken then lies completely still in the soil with eyes closed, as if taking a nap. At this point, novice chicken keepers often freak out, believing their chicken has died following a violent fit.

When the chicken feels ready, it stands up and shakes itself off, creating a billowing cloud of dust. Then the preening begins.

This entire process may be quick, as when a setting hen momentarily hops off the nest for a fast bath. Or it may take half the afternoon, like a human might indulge at a health spa.

Why do chickens need dust baths? 

Dust bathing serves several purposes. For one, it discourages body parasites such as lice and mites. The act of dust bathing itself may dislodge some body parasites. Others are removed during preening, when the chicken pulls each feather through its beak.

A dust bath helps chickens condition their feathers. Both dust bathing and preening serve to remove old oil and accumulated debris from the feathers, and realigns the feathers into their proper places.

While preening, a chicken occasionally rubs its beak against the oil gland at the base of its tail. Applying fresh oil to the feathers while preening makes the feathers sleek and shiny, and also improves their ability to insulate the skin and repel rain.

And dust bathing helps control body temperature. In warm weather the act of wallowing in dust helps the chicken cool off. In a coop with deep litter, dust bathing can warm chickens in cold weather.

Most of all, chickens obviously enjoy a nice dust bath. They often engage in this pleasurable activity along with a few avian buddies, turning it into a social event.

How can we ensure chickens have access to dust baths?

Well, in my case, as I suspect is true in a lot of situations, our chickens create their own wallows in their yard. One day the yard will be perfectly level. The next day we trip over patches of bowl-shaped holes. We sometimes also find our chickens dust bathing in the shavings we use as coop floor litter.

Some chickens keepers like to create a dust bath for their chickens. Maybe their yard isn’t conducive to dust bathing. Or the weather makes it difficult for the chickens to find dry soil for a dust bath. Or the keepers hope to avoid ankle-twisting holes in the yard.

How do you make a dust bath?

First you need a shallow basin, like a small kiddy wading pool or a large but shallow plastic storage container. The chickens have to be able to easily get in and out, and the basin should be easy to clean. It doesn’t even need a bottom. You really just need a perimeter frame to contain soil.

If the dust bath is outdoors, you might consider putting it under a roof to keep it dry in wet weather. If it is inside the coop, put it where the light is bright to keep the hens from laying eggs there. Also if it’s indoors, the coop must be well ventilated to keep dust particles from persisting in the air.

Fill the basin with loose, clean soil. If your soil is mostly clay, you might loosen it up by mixing in some construction sand. Or you could use plain construction sand or even clean litter.

Do you recommend any additives to repel lice and mites? 

I don’t. My reason is because chickens have a delicate respiratory system of air sacs and also a rapid rate of respiration. Inhaling any kind of dust with particle sizes and structures that differ from ordinary dirt dust can hinder respiration.

But other chicken keepers use all sorts of additives. For example, old timers used wood ash to discourage external parasites. On the other hand, where body parasites are a serious issue, you have to balance harm against benefit. In such a case, adding sulfur garden powder would be helpful. Sulfur is a naturally occurring mineral that has a long history of use for chickens.

Unlike other additives, sulfur has a residual effect. The sulfur can also rub onto other chickens that may not have used the sulfurized dust bath. So if I were dealing with a serious parasite problem, my choice for a temporary dust bath additive would be sulfur powder.

Any final words on dust baths?

Most chickens enjoy taking a dust bath approximately every other day. They instinctively dust bathe for basically the same reasons we like to take a water bath or shower — to look good and to remain clean and healthy.