Why new dust bathing spots...sign of mites or fleas?

[Daisy8s]

Every week or so my birds move to a new dust bathing spot. This means they have to dig up some ground to create a new dust bath. Why do they do this?

Is it perfectly normal or is this a sign that there are mites or fleas in the old spot and they are seeking to bathe them away in a new spot?

 

[thebanthams]

Thats how they looked beautiful! Its very healthy for them ! they can help keeps mites and fleas away, but not necessarly. you will have to control it with powder. DONT give them mite/flea powder unless you see them !

 

[galanie]

Yep, perfectly normal. They'll make a place look like the Moon.

 

[cary 1973]

shoot my hens have about 10 diffrent dust bath places going on. Cherrios yesterday came out from under out side fire place looking bad I thought she was sick her feathers looks dull and I got worried for about 20 seconds till she shook her self and a poof cloud that knock out the sun for 20 min (ok maybe streching it a little

) she was takeing fire place ash bath so not sure how healthy that is so cleaning that up is on my to do list for the weekend.

so totaly normal

 

[Den in Penn]

Wood ash is a good thing to add to a dust bath. It has properties that help control the external parasites. And they seem to know it.

 

[NovaAman]

Yup... Even my dogs will roll in the wood ash. Man, makes for one heck of a nasty mess... BUT, yup, my chickens seem to know that the ash is the place to bathe. I have not had mites or lice with them bathing in it.

 

[donrae]

It's part of their master plan. More dust bathing holes in coop=higher chance of me twisting my ankle and falling=bigger chance of them getting to peck my eyes out. I swear that one hen keeps looking at my eyeballs like they're tasty treats...............

 

[thebanthams]

they think my toes are worms !

 

[cary 1973]

yay one thing of my to do list not going to clean up wood ash but let chickens have hay day in it instead. good to know its good for them

 

[galanie]

Good idea. I purposefully have a "burn pile" for wood and tree trimmings in the area the chickens occupy. I burn it, cover with some tin while it cools, then let them at it. If I leave it uncovered while it's still hot they'll try to get in it and burn themselves.