Extended dust bath and general blissed-out weirdness

[Curlita]

Last night I noticed the chickens constructing a dust wallow in the back yard. One of the chickens, Daisy, spent a lot of time bathing and then just laid still. I started getting concerned, so I went out to see what she was up to. She was hunkered down in a little depression; every once in a while she would roll halfway over, sort of like cats do when they are blissed out in the sunshine. She sort of looked like she was going to take a little snooze.

She generally will not submit to being pet, but let me pat her. Finally I picked her up and turned her over to make sure there wasn't some injury I was missing. When I turned her back over again she decided that was enough, and hopped down.

So I guess she was just acting weird? Does anyone else's chicken get all blissed out by a dust bath? It was cool and getting dark, so she wasn't soaking up any sun rays.

 

[FisherMOM]

oh yeah, they are totally approachable when in the dust bath mode. This is how some of my integrated flock became comfortable with the rooster.

They just LOVE a dirt bath!

 

[AllChookUp]

I don't know for sure, but I think you hit the nail on the head. My chickens love getting a good dust bath, then just kind of hanging out in the little hollow. I don't know if the ground is cooler and the like that, or what.

I have one hen that doesn't really like being picked up, so I'll try petting her and picking her up the next time she's doing that.

 

[LoneCowboy]

My DH thinks our chickens are pigs and keeps making big puddles in the coop for them. When the water goes away, and it dries out just a little they love to dig a hole there and dust bathe. I think because of the moisture, it's really cool. They just love it.