Weird dust bathing and pecking at bedtime

[DallasLoneStar]

one of my girls was making a ruckus tonight at bed time. She was furiously dust bathing and pecking like crazy into the sand/pdz/poop mix on my poop board below the roosts. It looked like she was trying to break up the dried poop and was eating it. It was so gross! I tried to stop her but she wouldn’t stop so I just closed up the coop and went inside. Any idea why she would be doing this?!

 

[DallasLoneStar]

Yes they do have lots of places (the run is sand, and they have a kiddie pool dust bath with sand, peat moss, and a little DE. They have been laying for a couple months. I saw her doing the same thing this evening when I closed them up for the night.

 

[aart]

Whatcha gonna do<shrugs>
I have set up several 'special' dust baths, they never used them, found their own place.

 

[DallasLoneStar]

No molting yet. They hatched in March. They are fed later pellets. Occasional snacks include BOSS, dried mealworms, kale, and pecking through my flower beds when I let them. They all lay almost every day. This one (well 50/50 chance since there is another EE) laid a sort of weird egg today. Very light but intense blue and sort of mottled. Usually they are a little larger and green. I check fairly often for lice / mites but it’s been several days. Thanks for the feedback !

 

[aart]

Do they have other places to dust bathe?
They do peck a lot when bathing.
New layers or older birds?

 

[slordaz]

could have lice/mites
Cold be she's lacking something in diet for some reason
could be just about anything including she flipped her wig

I would start with the first one though as would be my first one to check for, I know your down south so have they molted or still need to?
@Texas Kiki

 

[slordaz]

No molting yet. They hatched in March. They are fed later pellets. Occasional snacks include BOSS, dried mealworms, kale, and pecking through my flower beds when I let them. They all lay almost every day. This one (well 50/50 chance since there is another EE) Laos a sort of weird egg today. Very light blue and sort of mottled. Usually they are a little larger and green. I check fairly often for lice / mites but it’s been several days. Thanks for the feedback !

color can be affected by something they ate too, my hens actually get weird with their eggs a week or 2 before they molt but I'm up north.