It never ceases to amaze me how great my chickens are at digging holes! They love to scratch around, wiggle down and flap around the dirt To keep themselves clean, chickens take dust baths This summer, I’m working on making a dedicated area for my chickens’ dust bath I’ll keep you posted on if they actually use this area or if they continue to just dig dust baths wherever they want Haha!
Why Do Chickens Need Dust Baths ?
If you’ve kept chickens, you’ve almost certainly caught one mid dust bath: sprawled in a shallow pit of loose dirt, kicking soil all over itself, wings flapping, looking for all the world like something is terribly wrong The first time you see it, it can honestly look like your chicken is having a seizure Don’t worry It’s completely normal, and it’s a genuinely important part of your bird’s health Here’s why chickens need dust baths, what they actually do for a bird, and how to provide one if your flock can’t make its own