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Odd Behavior! Anyone Else Seen This?

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by loralei, Dec 14, 2009.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Dec 14, 2009 #1
    loralei

    loralei Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Jun 4, 2009
    New Caney, Texas
    I switched from hay to wood shavings in our nesting boxes and my hens really seem to like them! They have stopped using the boxes as toilets and have actually started laying in the boxes (I used to find eggs on the floor of the coop)! A couple days ago I went out to the coop to gather eggs and one of the hens was in a box wiggling around covering herself in shavings! I caught another one today almost completely burried! Has anyone else seen their hens do this?
     
  3. Dec 14, 2009 #2
    bawkbawkbawk

    bawkbawkbawk Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Mar 29, 2009
    Coastal Southern California
    Do your chickens have access to soft dirt or sand? Sounds to me like she's trying to take a dust bath.
     
  5. Dec 14, 2009 #3
    cnj-tx50

    cnj-tx50 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Jun 19, 2009
    North of Dallas, TX
    I use wood shavings and they seem to move. cover and sort in the boxes!!
     
  7. Dec 14, 2009 #4
    loralei

    loralei Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Jun 4, 2009
    New Caney, Texas
    They have sand and dirt galore and they bathe like crazy in it! lol! I think they are shy about laying and don't want me or the others to see! Maybe I should make curtains for the boxes! [​IMG]
     
  9. Dec 14, 2009 #5
    posey

    posey Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Jun 17, 2009
    Coastal NC
    Quote:We use wood shavings on the coop floor and when I change out the shavings and put in fresh, they do the same thing. It's like dust bathing only in the shavings.

    However, I know about the shy laying thing.
    I made a duplex nest box out of wooden file folder holders from an old desk.
    I did it very 'throw together' because my first two hens decided to lay on the same day.
    I call it the Egga Cabana
    [​IMG]
    The tarp over the top gives them some privacy and keeps them from standing on the sides of the box and pooing into it.
    Chickens, gotta love em, and we do.
     

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