Cosmopolitan Hen: Hot, Dirty Chickens

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. We really do have some hot chicks. Temps have been in the 80s for quite a few days in a row, the AC is on in the bedroom, the dogs are panting, and the chickens are open-beak breathing. Summer has finally arrived. It’s time for a cool bath!

Chickens love to dust themselves. If you raise hens, you know exactly what I mean. Our neighbor across the street worried that his three girls didn’t have a dusty spot to use, but I warned him that they would make their own if he let them out.

Just look what ours have done! Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a row of cedar trees in this spot. We cut them down about two years ago, and, while we were taking care of the Douglas fir in the front yard, we had the stump grinder guy remove the cedar stumps in the backyard, too. It didn’t take long before the chickens claimed this spot as their own.

The girls are delighted. The dry, crumbly earth is easy to scratch, fun to peck at, and it makes the BEST dirt bath EVER. The other chickens took off when I came outside with the camera, but Raquel has no shame. She continued to kick up the dirt and made quite a show of herself.

Shake your groove thing, Raquel!

Chickens don’t have sweat glands like mammals do. Even dogs and cats can sweat through their paws. When the temperatures climb, chickens breathe through their beaks (a sign of heat stress), frolic in the shade, and take dust baths to cool off.

Doesn’t she look refreshed? Dust baths also help keep the bugs away. They’re fun to eat, but not so much fun to wear. Dust is a natural flea and mite repellant.

One final fluff to get the dirt out…

The hollows left behind demonstrate just how much fun our girls have in the dirt. And, like our neighbor quickly learned, if you don’t give them a dusting spot, they’ll make their own.

About the author:  Robin Taylor is always looking for a piece of dirt to grow things in. She lives, works, and plays in the Puget Sound region with her partner, their three dogs, and varying numbers of farm animals. Her most recent adventures in raising city chickens, growing food in her front yard, and finding local sources of meat and produce can be found on her blog, A City Chicken Farm. Contact her at taylorgirl6@gmail.com.

Related posts:

1. Cosmopolitan Hen: The Chicken Hierarchy
2. Cosmopolitan Hen: Sizing up the Competition at the Fair
3. Cosmopolitan Hen: Rusty’s Last Stand

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