Ok I am freaking out! LOL

[csummer8882]

I just heard this weird scratching noise and peeked in and 2 are laying down digging and flinging shavings all over themselves. Kind of rolling on their sides as well. What are they doing? Its the weirdest looking thing!

 

[Godsgrl]

Relax, your chicks are dust bathing! It's a perfectly normal chicken behavior. Grown chickens love to find (or make their own) dust bowl and have at it with the dirt. They fling dirt everywhere, up under their wings, all in their feathers. If you watch a big fluffy hen dust bathe, when she gets up, dirt just pours from her feathers. It's hilarious!

 

[Keileigh]

Sounds like they're taking the closest thing they can get to a dust bath.

 

[csummer8882]

PHEW! Ok, I was really starting to panic thinking something was wrong! Then the guilt set in from giving them their first treats yesterday! I was worried I did something wrong! Thank you all so much! They do this to get clean?????!!!!!! LOL

 

[Denninmi]

Quote:
Having fun. Give them a big kiddie pool full of dry sand when they get over, left someplace where it can get warm in the sun, and they'll spend hours doing this. It's good for them. I've even seen small songbirds like sparrows use the same sand box.

 

[csummer8882]

Well they are still inside in the little brooder I guess its called in the house. I will give them one when they go outside then. Didn't realize they did this. LOL What kind of sand? Sandbox sand?

 

[Keileigh]

Yeah, wait till they're bigger -- my hens used to dig 5 or 6 dusting pits side by side and really get the dirt flying. I know it doesn't sound like a way to get clean, but it helps flush mites, lice, etc. out of their feathers. Sometimes they finish the actual "bath" and just lie there relaxing for a while, like they're having a day at the spa. Scented candles and soft music not required.

 

[tiffanyg2]

Quote:
Bahahahaha~ this happened to me so I have to laugh

What's even better is when they step onto hot pavement and just drop to their sides like their dead...

and then you freak out and think what's wrong with them, so you pick them up and stand them up~ and then they drop to the pavement again??? Heehee

It's called dust bathing~ I think thats what they called it~ they love digging in the dirt, flipping over, kicking it up in the air and rolling around in it. And they like it when it's warm out so when the pavement it hot they like to fluff up on the pavement and throw their wing out and pretend to be gravely ill just for the amusement of watching our expressions

 

[newBonboard]

My 3 week old are doing this today as well.. I cleaned their home and put them back in and all 4 started kicking the shaving everywhere and than one starting flapping her wings and getting right into it.. cute !

 

[moeplants]

Quote:
Having fun. Give them a big kiddie pool full of dry sand when they get over, left someplace where it can get warm in the sun, and they'll spend hours doing this. It's good for them. I've even seen small songbirds like sparrows use the same sand box.

What a gret idea!! I will def. put one by my chickens!! You just made my day!!