Another hen behavior question

[Cavendish Chickens]

My girls have decided to make a hole near a post that they take turns sitting in. Is it possible that this may be where they decided to lay eggs when they start, or is it something else? They're not pulling in any nesting materials. It's just dirt. It only fits them one at a time, and when they lay in it they peck at the dirt around them.

 

[gryeyes]

They're dust-bathing. That's their spa. It won't be a nest.

 

[nanawendy]

They are probably taking a dust bath... Cute to watch and it helps keep buggies off

 

[Cavendish Chickens]

They're not bathing though. I've seen them dust bathe, and they will lay down and flick dirt over themselves with their wings and feet. They are just digging a hole and sitting in it, and moving the dirt around them with their beaks. Not smacking it around, just gently moving it. Pulling it toward them.

 

[nuchickontheblock]

sometimes my chickens really roll around and are vigorous with their dust baths, and then sometimes they just kind of dig a hole and lay there in the sun. Of course then there is the flop over and play "dead chicken" in the sun that is pretty amusing to watch. LOL
The more you watch their behavior, the more entertaining they are.

 

[lynxs1981]

They might just be cooling off a bit also.

 

[Cavendish Chickens]

Ohhh. Ok. Should we worry any about the hole getting too deep. We have them in a fenced in area so the predators don't get them. Lots of them here. The fencing is buried in the ground just like the posts, and I just wonder if we should worry about them digging too deep?

 

[lynxs1981]

Nah, they can only dig so far.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

not to be contrary, but my first egg showed up, yesterday, in a hole where a hen I didn't think was ready to lay was "dustbathing" an hour before. This morning there was another one in the same spot.
Just my completely inexperienced hen-keeping 2 cents.

Brightest Blessings

 

[gryeyes]

Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit. Huh. USUALLY the craters in the yard dug by chickens are for dust-bathing and cooling down in the heat.

It is true that new layers are sometimes surprised by their first few eggs, and lay 'em just about anywhere. "Buk buk buk buh-buk, (happy happy happy) buh-GAWK!!! What the heck was THAT??!?!?!"