I don't know if this has been answered somewhere but we were just wondering why a couple of hens toss pieces of straw on their backs after they lay an egg. The RIR started doing this since day one of egg laying & then we noticed that the Silkie did, too. Is this some sort of bragging thing (like a tally mark) to let the other girls know that they have laid an egg or what? They're both about a year old and none of the other 3 hens do this that we know of. It's just comical to watch them reach down, pick up the straw & then toss it onto their back as if to say "yeah, another days' work done!" and walk away. Crazy birds. Just curious but does anyone else have hens that do this?
mine do it just before they lay I have an EE girl Zelda that will hunt for the " perfect" of pine chips to put on her back and while she is laying she will keep putting them on her back - after she lays she gets up and walks away ( normally carring the chips around awhile ) Julie
A hen in nature will pick up straw, grass, etc, and put it on their back to make their nest. I think in captivity, this is the closest they get with the instint.