Digging

[lularat]

Just wondering if your chickens dig a lot. My girls dig a lot of holes and sometimes really deep holes. Looks like the walls of my run have been trenched. Do some breed dig more than others? We usually fill in the holes at least once a week, but of course they're usually back in a few days. I knew they dug some holes, but my girls are backhoes.

 

[ChickenPox]

LOL, Backhoes! Mine do this too. They have one huge hole that I just leave. I figure they want to get to china or something. I dunno how to stop it, but you aren't alone!

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Sometimes I'll have 10 chickens all digging & scratching in the same hole. I don't know what the heck they do with the dirt because when I fill the holes up I'm always missing a lot of dirt, they eat it I guess.

 

[Chickenman2000X]

I've got three chickens and they've almost dug out of my chicken coop.

 

[lularat]

Sometimes I'll have 10 chickens all digging & scratching in the same hole. I don't know what the heck they do with the dirt because when I fill the holes up I'm always missing a lot of dirt, they eat it I guess.

Same here...I try to fill up the holes with the dirt that they have dug, but usually end up buying sand to even the run out. I one day picture the run a foot higher than the yard with all the sand I add.

 

[Messipaw]

Same here, it's crazy. My EE is the worst offender. I'm not sure if they are digging to eat or dust bath in

 

[donrae]

My theory is they want to eat my eyeballs.

They dig holes, hoping I'll twist my ankle and fall, hitting my head and knocking myself out. Then it'll be "Rachel Buffet"

Well, I've done the ankle twisting part anyway, but my poor eyeballs are still intact!


It's normal, it's just a side effect of all the dust bathing. All that dirt gets scratched up and carried off in their feathers. Keeps them cool in the summer and keeps the bugs away.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

You got them cannibal chickens like they were talking about in that other thread, huh?

 

[bugflipper]

Try pheasants. Those crazy things dig with their beaks. If the pen has 1" poultry wire on the bottom they will bite that in half to do their digging. For whatever reason they don't have enough sense to bite the wire on the sides and get out though.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

My theory is they want to eat my eyeballs.....

I have often told chicken new-comers to never take a nap in your chicken coop unless that is you wish to wake up inside your chickens.