Rolling in the dirt?

[awalters0815]

I got my first three gals today. After getting acquainted with the hen house, I let them out to graze. After a little while all three started to scratch and dig "nests", eating earthworms all the while. then they would roll in the dirt and sometimes just sit as if the were laying (they are 17 weeks and havn'e started laying yet). Is this normal?

 

[Kittymomma]

Completely normal. They are just dust bathing. Wait until they combine it with sunbathing and sprawl out on their backs/sides looking like they're dead.

 

[ChickenMama18]

Ours do it too...it's great to watch. Ours also combine it with sun bathing! Chickens are facinating to watch...I could watch them for hours!

 

[CluckCluck18]

I know what you guys mean. When you first see it you don't know whether they are having a heart attack or a seizure.
I love to watch them it.....must feel good cuz my girls do it for the longest time and it's amazing how clean they can get themselves with dirt!
God bless our amazing, quirky chickens.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
It's totally normal (but only if you're a chicken!). They're taking "dustbaths" and it helps them to clean themselves (ironically) and it must feel good, because they seem to revel in it!

 

[elmo]

Yes! That's dustbathing and chickens and other groundbirds do it. Cute, isn't it?

 

[Opa]

The rolling in the dirt is calling dusting. All birds do it. surprizingly it helps to clean their feathers and more importantly it is there method to combat mites. I have a sandy area in my run that the birds like to dust in. I have built a covered roost over that spot to help keep it dry. I further augment their dusting by adding a little DE in the dusting hole they use.

 

[FrizzlesRule]

That's their way of cleaning themselves and they also seem to enjoy it. I hate when my feather feeted bantams do it and I really hate it when I just got done powdering them and they go and roll in the dirt.

 

[awalters0815]

thanks so much for the quick info

 

[awalters0815]

Quote:
what is powdering and how do I do it?