dirt bath?

[chickensducks&agoose]

You know when you've got your phone on 'vibrate' and it skitters across the counter? My hens are skittering across the new dirt patch that has emerged in my driveway. They are fluffing up their feathers, and 'buzzing' on their sides, all the way across the 3 foot area... is this normal?

 

[HorseFeathers]

Dust bathing. We thought ours were dying too.

 

[Silkiemama]

I bet that's hysterical to watch! Our's would lay down in the grass and sun bathe - spreading out all their feathers, laying on their side, or even on their backs. First time I saw this, I thought there was something to be concerned about. Turns out they are only exhibiting a natural bird behavior! I read somewhere that it helps eliminate small pests that attach to their feathers.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

that's so funny! I pulled up into my driveway this morning after going to town for errands... When I come up on my parking spot, all my chickens are bunched up, and Auntie Shannah is lying on the ground... I thought for sure she was dead...so i parked in my DH's spot, and had the kids stay in the car... so they wouldn't see... when I got closer, she got up and gave me a dirty look! confounding! SO glad it is happening to you as well! oh, ps. why do they do that?

 

[HorseFeathers]

Quote:
We thought they had some horrible disease when they did that too. Back in the day when we were rookie chicken owners... gosh that was a long time ago.

 

[HorseFeathers]

chickensducks&agoose :

that's so funny! I pulled up into my driveway this morning after going to town for errands... When I come up on my parking spot, all my chickens are bunched up, and Auntie Shannah is lying on the ground... I thought for sure she was dead...so i parked in my DH's spot, and had the kids stay in the car... so they wouldn't see... when I got closer, she got up and gave me a dirty look! confounding! SO glad it is happening to you as well! oh, ps. why do they do that?

they do it to cleanse their feathers and protect against bugs. After they shake out all the dirt they're nice and soft and not dirty at all!​

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

I guess with the one spot of dirt they are probably overexcited... can chickens even remember what the weather was like back in october? Can they remember what it looks like without 4 feet of snow? or are they like goldfish?