dustbathing and social pecking behavior

[mintyivyy1]

Hi all,

I've read a few threads on this, but it seems supported here:

https://hencam.com/henblog/2014/03/social-feather-picking/

Our hens free range, have a very large coop when they are not, plenty of space, toys, free choice food--essentially super spoiled as pets. But when it's dustbathing time, they will peck and pull out feathers. No huge bald spots or anything like that, but at first it horrified me!

Is there additional evidence that this is acceptable social behavior if it is confined to big piles of dustbathing birds? Thanks!

I should add: we have no frightened, cowering birds-- no bullied birds, no one aggressor, it seems like behavior that's common in at least 4 birds in a flock of 9 hens, 1 cockerel.

 

[azygous]

Raking the beak across the back of a dirt bathing mate is part of the social aspect of this ritual. It can get out of hand. When you see this behavior, discourage it by a sharp "peck" with your finger on the back of the neck or back of the perpetrator. Repeatedly doing this can eventually tone down this behavior.