Why your chickens dust bathe? ?
And what is that all about?
Well, that is actually their way of staying clean ?
So it’s a really important activity that they do almost daily
You can create places for them to do that
I use a big tire for them to dust bathe
That’s where I put the clean sand and wood ash so that they can have a place to dust bathe without worrying about it being dirty
If you don’t create a space for them that they can take over…
Then they will just dig a hole and make a space for themselves ?
The reason that dust bathing is so important…
They’ll lay in that hole that they made or in the tire that I gave them…
They’ll kick the dirt on themselves…
They’ll get it in their feathers all the way down to the skin
That’s because it will absorb any extra oils or moisture that they feel doesn’t need to be there
And then it also clogs the breathing pores of any parasites like mites and lice
Makes them fall off their bodies
After they kick the dirt on themselves, what they do is …
Get it down into the skin, into their feathers,
Then they’ll stand up and shake it all off
That’s how they get themselves clean…the moisture and the oils will come off with the dirt
You’ll see them do it together
They find it relaxing ?
It’s a gathering spot for them
They’ll help each other
You’ll see them peck the dirt off of each other and move the feathers around for each other
So it’s a social gathering activity for them
If you’re new to chicken keeping and see them flopping in a dirt hole, kicking it all over their back, twisting their head awkwardly … it’s probably just a dust bath.
Remember … Be The Organic U – Feed Your Soul
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