Hello! I got a new hen a few weeks ago, from a flock where she was being picked on and had lost a lot of feathers. She's getting along much better in my flock, growing in many new tail feathers, but has this weird behavior.
In three different occasions now I've seen her stand up really tall with her head low getting her body as far away from her feet as possible, then pick up one foot very high and move it forward along her body and neck. In human terms, the first part of the motion is if you stepped in something gross. The second part of the motion seems like she's trying to brush something off herself, except that her foot and body don't touch.
(I haven't a clue what to call this, if you've got a potential behavior name I'm happy to youtube and see if it matches.)
In the meantime, ideas about what this is? Some kind of parasite? Or is the new feather growth just uncomfortable?
In three different occasions now I've seen her stand up really tall with her head low getting her body as far away from her feet as possible, then pick up one foot very high and move it forward along her body and neck. In human terms, the first part of the motion is if you stepped in something gross. The second part of the motion seems like she's trying to brush something off herself, except that her foot and body don't touch.
(I haven't a clue what to call this, if you've got a potential behavior name I'm happy to youtube and see if it matches.)
In the meantime, ideas about what this is? Some kind of parasite? Or is the new feather growth just uncomfortable?
