MaxBaz Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Have watched for the last half hour in amazement at the ritual involved in a dust bath. For whatever reason, never actually seen the girls do this in the last month - but today made up for it. I assumed (obviously incorrectly) that they would go about their business independently and it was simply a case of fluffing up the feathers and scratching a bit of soil around onto their back and rolling around. NOT SO - all four of them wanted exactly the same patch of sun warmed soil - and they couldn't have squeezed together closer if they tried -their heads and necks were underneath the body of another hen and they rolled their little backs around in absolute estatic abondonement. The fact their was a branch with thorns underneath them was neither here nor there - with a 15ftx8ft run - why all choose the same piece of soil?? Hilarious to watch - long may it continue!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 yup, they sound exactly like mine all four on a area the size of a saucer....and all totally blissed out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinkybijou Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Ha ha ha! You describe it so well! Only a chicken owner would understand that chicken ecstasy they seem to get from dust bathing. Mine also squeeze into the tiniest area which one of them generally digs and they have such looks of ecstasy on their faces you wonder if there's something in the mud making them all dreamy! That's the BEST bit for me about having chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Yep-sounds about right! Mine do it normally in a particular spot where i've done some digging and the soil is nice & loose.I have a sparebag of sharp sand and add that to the soil which really goes down a storm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol U Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Our dust bath pits have become like W.W.1 trenches. In fact they are so deep that I'm beginning to wonder if they are trying to tunnel out! Same total ecstasy while they're at it. Wonderful to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 we dont have tunnels or ditches here, but instead we have mars type crateors/holes. So we have molehills of hemcore in the run and holes in the garden...very artistic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I've just bought a huge tub trug from Instore at a bargain price of £2.99 just incase my chickens(when I get them) don't find a suitable spot in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 just incase my chickens(when I get them) don't find a suitable spot in the garden. oh they will....... and it will be just where you don't want one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trixabell Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Mine bless em were trying to dustbath on hard soil so feeling sorry for them i went out and bought a HUGE plastic tray from a garden centre and filled it with soft peat and the other day Gwyn realised it wsn't just for walking around in and was rolling around in it...made me feel really glad i got it...i love watching them dustbath!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 the first time I saw it I thought she was having a fit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
