Hen putting straw on her booty?

[chicksinthemachine]

Nakey butt, one of our barred rock hens has been walking around the run all day picking up straw and placing it on her booty. Has anyone else seen this before? I dont know what she is doing, but it is kinda funny. Almost like she is ashamed of her naked booty and trying to cover it.

 

[Chicabee19]

LOL ...

doesn't this mean she is 'nesting' and will be laying soon? Or is she already laying?

 

[chicksinthemachine]

She does lay, 2 to 3 times a week. I wonder if she is getting ready to go broody?

 

[Stonerowfarm]

That's hilarious. One of my hens covered her bare back with wood chips today. First time I saw that and figured she just got into a dust up.

 

[chicksinthemachine]

So, has anyone else seen anything like this? Does this mean she is getting ready to go broody?

 

[ChooksinIowa]

My red star hen puts wood shavings on her back during her laying. I always thought that was just a Rosie thing. Maybe not! Here she is doing it. She's in "isolation" in this carrier at the time because she was new to my flock. She's integrated now, but it's the only pic I have of her doing it. You can't see her head - she is picking up more shavings to put on herself!

 

[chicksinthemachine]

That is too cute. My little nakey butt spent most of the day "decorating" her back with just about anything she could find.

This is a new thing for her, as far as I know she has never done it before.

 

[ChooksinIowa]

Is it even remotely possible that she's feeling chilly back there because of her missing feathers, and she's trying to get it warmed up?

 

[Heather J]

I doubt it, my naked-baked hens don't seem to be covering themselves with wood chips or straw, but maybe they're not smart enough to make themselves a 'blanket'. lol

ChooksinIowa, I love my red star, she lays the biggest eggs I've ever seen (from a chicken).

 

[whitecra]

My little gray 6 month old silkie has just started laying eggs. The other day we saw her in the nest and she was picking up hay and putting it on her back. It looked so funny. She had to look and find just the right piece.
Chris