Is it normal when they act drunk after dust bathing?

[hsdiaz]

I just gave my 4-week-old chicks a tray full of dirt to scratch around in and eat worms. Two of them dove right in and took a dust bath. My EE, however, could barely walk afterwards...she'd clean her feathers a bit, fall over, get up, walk a few steps, fall over again, etc. She almost looks drunk. My RIR shook herself out like I've seen other hens do after a dust bath, but the EE didn't shake out. I also noticed that she seems to hold her feathers in, they seem less fluffy and she looks much smaller when she does this. Should I be worried about her?

 

[hennyannie]

This sounds pretty normal, I think they wear themselves out like kids those first few sand box playdates.

 

[hsdiaz]

Thanks. Ok, she's acting normal now. I just read another thread about dust bathing....I had no idea it was so "intoxicating" for them! I'm kind of jealous, lol.

 

[callsign222]

I just pulled the towel out that was covering the pine shavings for the past three days and my chicks just discovered scratching and "dust baths" (read: pine shaving bath substitute). They made an enormous racket for quite a while, dug a long trench along the brooder wall, rolled around, filled it in, rolled around some more, and now they're all passed out harder than I've seen them sleep yet!

 

[hennyannie]

Did you see the posted video about the dust bath on the rug? Too cute!