[Tom Parrot]

Hello readers,
Recently I've noticed that one or more of my three hens are throwing bits of straw or small twigs onto their back.
One hen was doing it again this morning.
Has anyone any idea why?
Meanwhile happy Christmas to you all.

[ghost61]

They do it when they are about to or just have lain an egg.  It's a natural and normal thing that hens do!

[8doubles]

Probably when their ancestors were incubating  eggs they would get hold of vegetation around the nest and put it on  their backs as camoflage !

Looks a bit silly as they walk across the lawn doing it !

[Tom Parrot]

Hello ghost61,
Thank you for the reply.
You could be right, except that the bits they throw onto their backs quickly falls off.
It's a bit comical to watch but, they seem to enjoy doing it.
Hope you had a nice Christmas.

[ghost61]

Same here.  Seems a fruitless exercise, but I do like 8doubles thought.  It does seem to be an instinctive action and always takes place just before or after egg laying.  Mine also play 'statues' with me.  I walk, they follow.  I stop and turn round, they stop in their tracks, sometimes on one leg, makes me laugh every time.  Eventually one of them moves and is out of the game......

[Tom Parrot]

Hi ghost61,
You have a good sense of humour. I like it.
As mad as me.
As the statues, mine do much the same. Have be careful when I turn around as they so close that when I first had them I accidentally would nearly knock their heads off.
Now I stop, turn my body to check where they are.
It's nice. Nothing like an unbiased friend.
Happy New Year.