Dust Bath Party!

[Ma]

It's been below zero here all week, now, today, it's 50 degrees!

So, I went to the coop, and decieded that "girls just wanna have fun."

I dug down into our deep litter bed, to the dirt floor. (It looked like a big bowl!)

Within seconds all the hens hit the dirt! There was dust and dirt flying everywhere. I swear they were smiling...and laughing....and giggling like teenage girls...

They had so much fun I wanted to just jump in with them! (But it did make me a bit itchy....

)

Chickens are the most entertaining creatures on the planet.

 

[Chickemee]

Sometimes I am scared to go into the coop because there are holes filled with loose dirt and it seems to make me trip.

 

[Ma]

Our coop is quite large, built for 100 birds, we have 8!

With our deep litter system, the girls simply can't get down deep enough to make holes, far less chance of hitting the dirt. The depth is about 24"+ right now. And its pretty packed down, I spend alot of time going in/out and doing chores, feeding water changing etc., which packs it even further. I had to really dig with a pitch fork to make the big area for them to bathe in today.

Plus they have a big run outside. But now it is turning into a swimming pool with the snow/ice melt. So they were happy hens today with their baths!