Don't they love the mud?

[Cab]

I like the chicken run to be dry, and unlike many I line it with compost. I tip bucket loads of very well rotted stuff from the heaps on the floor, let them play in it, let them eat the bugs, and dig it out again (enriched with poo!) and its like rocket fuel for my allotment.

But I also like them to have a bit open to the sky. Something open to the elements rather. Its a smaller part of the run, but it gives them a change of scene, its one of the four parts of their run so they can have a bit of 'me' space if they like.

The only problem with this is mud. Most of the outside but I keep well drained, but for the muddy patch. They LOVE their muddy patch. I sometimes wonder if I got the order wrong when I picked up two of them and they're not hens, they're moorhens in disguise. My white leghorn spends more of her life as a brownish dirty leghorn, and my goldline will run outside to play in the rain.

Now I don't THINK there is a problem with this. They're happy, they're healthy... But they've a tendency to get filthy. They've always got the option of dry and out of the elements, there is always somewhere dry and clean for dust bathing, and there is always personal space and something to do.

Is this normal or are my hens particularly mucky?

 

[dinosaw]

Normal I'd say, you get the odd hen who doesn't like the mud but for most of them I think mud means worms and other grubs so it's full steam ahead and get scratching, I'm having to be a bit selective about when I let some of mine out at the minute as they are coming back in with filthy beards which they struggle to clean up properly. It's a bit like water, given the choice between clean fresh tap water or a muddy pool of rainwater it's always the latter they go for. Most of the chickens I've had have avoided the rain mind and go undercover with the exception of two goldlines I used to have, so maybe that is a breed thing.

 

[BabyBantam]

I think they are like small children. They either bathe in mud, or run away from it. One of mine is a mucky little thing and is currently two tone where a years worth of muck is being moulted out. She's been bathed recently too!