Ive never seen this before.

[rendonhen]

Okay, i am a first time chicken owner. I was eating breakfast and watching the little darlings. I noticed one of the chicks was laying on its side kicking and pine shavings were flying everywhere. I made shure it was okay. It did it again and again, until it had created a nest and slept in it. Now i cannot seem to keep him out of it. He gets comfortable and then twirls around in the hole and then lays down again. What was it doing? It is cute to watch, but i wanted to make sure it was normal.

 

[TXmom]

Dust-bathing! Havin a good ole time

Several of mine do that...my Easter Eggers and my Leghorns do it the most....they're 4 weeks old now, but some of them have been doin it since they were tiny.

 

[rendonhen]

LOL Im having a good time watching the show. Thanks

 

[freddy22]

mine used to lay like that too lol, it reminded me of a dog laying down

 

[TXmom]

I'm a first-time chicken mama too, and just love watching them do their silly little things...llike dust-bathing and playing keep-away and dancing at each other to see who's taller

 

[ranchhand]

Wait until you see them do it in dirt or wood ashes! What a mess, and they look like they're dead! They do it for cleaning themselves, and to get rid of mites, etc. First time I saw it, I ran out in a panic- then one of them WINKED at me!

 

[abluechipstock]

that's their way of bathing, i use sawdust and put lice dust in it, that saves me from dusting them and getting it all over myself also watch for them to stretch out in the sun, that's crazy to watch also

 

[rendonhen]

LOL!!! They are so entertaining. I can't wait to take them outside for the first time. I think we are going to do it next weekend. They are 2 weeks old now. Not sure how old they need to be.

 

[CBee]

As long as the weather is fair and warm they can be any ol' age when they go out. Think about how Mother Hen takes care of her babies. She won't keep them cooped up on a nice day.

And I agree-watching the chicks dust bathe or sun bathe is one of the funniest things. They look like they're all having mini seizures.

 

[gritsar]

I agree with CBee. My chicks were out for short periods of time on nice days when they were two weeks old. Keep a close eye on them. If they start huddling and peeping loudly, they need to go back under their heat lamp.