what is my rooster doing? why is he doing this?

[ashleymama42]

i'm new to the chicken thing, picked up a roo that is just about 6 mos old.. had him for about 3 weeks now..he seems normal, but today after i cleaned the coop out and raked the dirt underneath, he layed in it and dug a hole. then he scratched around with his beak and made it look like a little mud nest...why did he do this? is something wrong? or is this normal roo stuff? my pullets dont do this, but they are much younger... here's some pics...
here's Big Red..

 

[Attack Chicken]

He's just dust bathing

It's perfectly normal.

 

[JayBird+16]

I agree - dust bath - they can get really into it sometimes.

 

[ILoveJoe]

Welcome to the forum and the chicken thing.

Your new guy was probably enjoying a nice dust bath. Wait til you see him all sprawled out like road kill sun bathing!

 

[chiknwhisperer]

lol When I first saw mine doing that I thought they were hurt and scared the crap out of them checking to make sure they were all right. The sunning part any way lol. As for the dust bathing, my RIR hen pullet really gets into it.

 

[chickenbike]

Yes......dust bathing! Sit back and watch the entertainment! And as ILoveJoe says....just wait until he's sunbathing!!

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Watching them dustbathe is hilarious. They kick up dirt everywhere, and then cluck excitedly when a bug gets unearthed...First the feet move, then the wings move, then the beak goes peck, peck, peck!

They peck, writhe, roll around, and just lay there happily with their wings and legs in very weird positions... It's comedy gold and perfect for "chicken TV time."

 

[birdsofparadise]

If he is being pestered by parasites (which is why chickens dust bathe), you might try some DE sprinkled around the chicken yard and even dusted on him. It will dessicate/kill any bugs and make him a happy roo.

 

[chickenannie]

Chickens dust bathe because they instinctively know that it smothers any mites or lice or little critters that might live on their skin otherwise. The dust bath makes them feel very clean.
If my chicks are in a pen without dirt available, I fill a dishpan with half sand and half fine dirt and they LOVE to bathe in it.

And when they peck at the dirt while dirtbathing they are finding tiny stones to swallow as grit so they can digest their food properly.

 

[ivan3]

ashleymama42 wrote: my pullets dont do this, but they are much younger... here's some pics...

Are your pullets dustbathing, yet? The reason I ask is that roos, in addition to dustbathing, also like to point out `good' places for the girls to nest. The roo will lie down, pull twigs, straw, etc. towards his body with his beak and make little cooing noises "I've found just the place, ladies, come and lay here!"

An example of the behavior: