This chicken is not dead

[Labsandchickens8]

Abigail is a pretty thing.

Thank you! I'm a proud new chicken mom

 

[Ponypoor]

I love this thread!
Here's my Abigail - not dead

And a lovely non-dead barred rock! Lovely

 

[Labsandchickens8]

My favorite dust bath story: a couple of weeks after getting my very first chickens after 20 years of waiting U realized the 3 pullets needed a dust bath. I watched a YouTube video on making them a spa bath and gathered my materials. As I went in and our of the run with my large plastic bin, clean sand, clean dirt, diatomaceous earth and some nice (expensive) herbs I noticed my Bresse Mirabel had dug a large whole next to the gate I was struggling in and out of. As I stopped to watch, she flopped to the ground and started convulsing. I pretty quickly realized what she was doing but really? Just in a patch of dirt? Next to where I walk all of time? Apparently I wasn't quick enough with the spa bath.
My now 10 chickens still dust bathe there most afternoons in their pitted dirty dustscape. With no herbs. And the fancy dust bath just sits in a sunny spot in the back. Sometimes it has poop in it fir me to clean out. It must look like a litter box.

 

[dirtyFlocker]

We are also new custodians of a flock of 5 and see the dust bath need! We’re also going to create our bath(same ingredients minus the herbs) this weekend. I keep my coop and run mobile- so everything gets moved very quickly each night within just a few minutes after the chickens are roosting. Fortunately, I have an old dog kennel, which I’m using for my dust bathing and they will have quite a bit of room in that kennel, (which is also mobile).
Guess we will have to see if our dust bath works or not but at least we’re providing that option for when it gets hot and the ground gets too hard, thank you for sharing your story.

 

[Labsandchickens8]

View attachment 4108513View attachment 4108515Marcille and Artemis "dying" in the sunlight yesterday afternoon

They're definitely deceased

 

[Labsandchickens8]

15 minutes out of the incubator and already practicing for a long life of stressing me out

View attachment 4096464

That one clearly wins.

 

[Labsandchickens8]

There is a stage of parenthood where mocking one’s teens is really about all you can do!

So true. Sometimes, if you're really good, they don't even realize what's going on.

 

[Labsandchickens8]

This one actually scared me quite a bit.. turns out she was just really tired and enjoying the sand, but it does kinda look like I just walked in on a crime scene

View attachment 4072575

and here's Dixie the diva resting a bit more normally
View attachment 4072576

Dixie has talent! That top picture would get anyone's heartbeat up

 

[janiedoe]

My favorite dust bath story: a couple of weeks after getting my very first chickens after 20 years of waiting U realized the 3 pullets needed a dust bath. I watched a YouTube video on making them a spa bath and gathered my materials. As I went in and our of the run with my large plastic bin, clean sand, clean dirt, diatomaceous earth and some nice (expensive) herbs I noticed my Bresse Mirabel had dug a large whole next to the gate I was struggling in and out of. As I stopped to watch, she flopped to the ground and started convulsing. I pretty quickly realized what she was doing but really? Just in a patch of dirt? Next to where I walk all of time? Apparently I wasn't quick enough with the spa bath.
My now 10 chickens still dust bathe there most afternoons in their pitted dirty dustscape. With no herbs. And the fancy dust bath just sits in a sunny spot in the back. Sometimes it has poop in it fir me to clean out. It must look like a litter box.

Its strange how they instinctively pick the worst places to dig. Mine love to bathe right in front of the gate, and they hate to move when I'm going through the gate, especially if I'm carrying a 3 gallon waterer.