Why is there so much dust in coop? I have an 8'x 10' coop with only chicken wire separating a !0'x 10' area. Also one side of coop has chicken wire to the outdoor pen ( have a canvas shade to let down on cold nites) Chickens have access to outdoors at all times and spend most of their time outside.
Still, so much dust in coop all of the time--WHY??
Second question, What is the diference between scratch feed and and cracked corn? any advantages or disadvantages to one or the other??? I have always fed a small amt. of cracked corn as a treat. If Mike should read this, especially to you how do you keep dust off all of your wall hangings?
Once again, thanks for your help, Ron

What kind of litter do you have on the floor? We use straw and it does create some dust. Chickens also create some dust themselves, all those feathers and preening, not to mention dust baths.

We feed scratch. I felt like maybe it was better for them than plain corn. The scratch has wheat and milo(?) in it.

Susie

This has nothing to do with your question but I was just wondering what kind of chickens you are raising. Layers or meatbirds? Breed?

I don't have any problem with dust since I raise my chickens in a large wire pen that I move around inside a pasture.

Oh yeah, does anyone know about any current research done to see if ranged eggs were more nutritious than intensively raised chickens? I know there was one done in 1978 or something like that which showed that ranged eggs had about 58 percent more vitamin B than caged eggs.

My coop is always dusty, too, and I don't know why. I'll find a thick layer on the tops of my nesting boxes. The dirt floor is covered with wood shavings so I'm guessing the dust must come from the shavings as well as blown in through the windows. Strange, I know.

I believe scratch and cracked corn are the same.

I believe the dust in a chicken coop is called "dander" - quote Collins : small particles or scales of hair or feathers - and chickens shed a lot. Anny

Hi Ronron, about the scratch feed and cracked corn. I mistakenly bought a bag of cracked corn, and that's exactly what it was. About 30% of it was still in the whole kernal state. I really thought it looked like it would be very uncomfortable going down.

A bag of scratch, on the other hand, had the corn much better ground up and also had wheat and milo in it, and the birds definetly ejoyed it much more.

I'll buy the scratch feed from now on, and leave the cracked corn to the other critters that can digest it!

HannahH is right, cracked corn and scratch are totally different! That is, of course, unless you feed store is different from the rest of the world!

Scratch, I think, is more nutritious than cracked corn.

Some chickens are picky and will eat only the milo or wheat, only the wheat and corn, etc. It shows that chickens do have taste buds and can put vision and taste together and process it in their little minds!

I agree with Josh, Scratch is better, and the birds seem to like it better too.

I think it is a combination of everything! Dust given off from the feed, dust given off from the bedding.....whatever it is.... AND dust from feathers.

My chickens are loosing feathers and not getting much back. Most have bear bottoms and back's near there tail
feathers. It can't be molt, Its been from Nov. or Dec.
I have checked them for mites and dusted there back sides. I always dust around the coop when I clean it out. I remove all of the hay (straw) every 3-4 months.
I know the topic was Dust not dusting but, I need HELP.
I live in Las Vegas and the chickens are getting sunburned. They are still laying great. I think it may be a deficiency of something. I feed them layett laying mash, I stopped giving them scratch to see if it would make a difference. I will take any help in this area. They are 15 months old, I have 18.

SMMSS, The need for protein and all nutrients, is great when hens are laying regularly. When hens have a natural moult, they usually grow their new feathers fairly quickly, and do not lay much, if at all during this time. Their system is just not able to both grow feathers and lay eggs, too. You might try a higher protein ration and still "hold the scratch". You don't have to worry about cold where you live-- and give them shade from the sun. Good luck, CJR