Bathing chooks

DUST baths are one of the funniest sights when you have chooks.

Hilda and Gidget have a chat while dust-bathing in the tomato bed.

Watching them lie on their backs, legs akimbo with wings outstretched to get dust into every feather, it’s hard not to laugh.

They are amazingly dexterous and resemble contortionists as they wriggle about, looking to rid themselves of mites and other insects at home in their feathers.

Of course the little devils don’t choose empty plots of earth to enjoy their bath – no, they have to settle into a newly seeded bed or one where I have been heaping soil on top of growing potatoes.

Now we have finally had some rain they will use the sol under the massive but unproductive passionfruit vine and fluff their feathers there.

Sometimes they lay an egg in their dust bath after a particular vigorous session. But usually, they give themselves a shake and wander off, stretching their wings and giving little satisfied 'crawk crawk' noises as they saunter about their domain.