Hens digging a hole in the ground?

[mommyoftwo]

I made my chicken coop and run in then old dog kennel. Their were holes in the areas that the dog had started to dig a hole. We moved the dogs but left the run the way it was. I noticed today that my ISA brown was digging one of the holes bigger and has been laying in them
Why is she doing that?

 

[loveourbirds]

are they dust bathing? when they are doing this, they almost look sick sometimes - or as someone else put it "stuck in the dirt"

 

[mommyoftwo]

I have only ever seen the one in the hole. We have 4 other chicken with her. The ground does have some sand on top that I tossed in their to keep the smell down and allow for better drainage.

 

[loveourbirds]

they will usually bathe by pecking order. if one bird is in the hole a lot, check around its bottom in the fluff feathers for mites and lice. also sometimes I think they do it to cool down.