Egg Dance?

[vicky]

My 2 hens are good girls and don't make the egg song. They do make a racket to be let out of the coop though, or when they want me to feed them. (Bok bok bok bok... bok AWWWWWW!!!!!)

I've been watching them lay recently (because bush turkeys are stealing the eggs) and I've noticed my Isabrown does a weird dance after laying.

She jumps out of the nest, then picks up a bit of straw and rubs it down her back on one side. Then she drops it behind her.
Then she picks up another bit of straw/leaf and rubs it down the other side of her back and drops it.
This goes on for about 10 minutes until she gets distracted by a bug or something.

It's really strange... does it mean anything?

 

[joerogrz]

One of my pullets did something similar.

I had put some new shavings from where I turn wood, into the nest boxes, and I was watching her as she went back and forth between them trying to decide which one she wanted to lay in. She finally laid an egg, but she did not "announce" it like most of my pullets do.

She did, however, pick up a few of the long curly shavings and put on her back. I just thought it was a little funny and didn't think too much of it. Would be interesting to know if others are doing this though.

 

[Morgaine]

Some of my hens to the same thing. God bless the quiet ones, lol. A few of mine are LOUD!

 

[vicky]

It's good to hear that others do it too.

It's actually quite pretty the way she does it. I should take a video of it and post it here. Infact, I think I'll do that tomorrow morning.