What is it?
– Dust-bathing is a regular maintenance activity that removes excessive and stale lipids from the integument found in many species of birds as well as mammals (Van Liere 1992).
Youtube video of a hen dust-bathing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3avQi1daUKo&feature=related
Why rub in dust?
– Dust-bathing may serve to remove some of the hen’s ectoparasites, although this suggestion is never experimentally proven (Van Liere 1992, Vestergaard 1982, Heinroth 1955, Simmons 1964, Borchelt et al. 1973). It is presumed that the dust desiccated or suffocated the ectoparasites or simply scraped them off the plumage (Van Liere 1992, Borchelt et al. 1973). Another possible hypothesis is that the ectoparasites feed on the feather lipids and that dust-bathing reduce the numbers of ectoparasites by reducing the level of feather lipids (Van Liere 1992, Borchelt et al. 1973).
– The uropygial gland produces lipids which are dabbed onto the feathers during preening (Van Liere 1992, Borchelt et al1979, Hodges 1974, Liere et al 1991, Vestergaard 1982). Dust-bathes serve to remove excess feather lipids (Widowski and Duncan 2000, Vestergaard 1982, Van Liere 1992).
– Dust-bathing improves barb alignment of the feathers, makes the down more fluffy and dry, and reduces the amount of dandruff in feathers (Van Liere 1992, Vestergaard 1982).
How do hens go about performing such a bath?
– Laying hens and many other galliformes such as turkey, grouse, Quail, and pheasant are specialized to bathe in dust only while many other bird species may also bathe in water (Van Liere 1992).
– Dust-bathing consist a sequence of events where the hen lies down and tosses litter onto and between the feathers, lies on its side and rubs for some time, and often ends with a body/wing shaking, which removes the dust from the plumage (Van Liere 1992, Vestergaard 1982).
Tossing:
Main purpose:
– fluffing the plumage and tossing particles onto and between the fluffed plumages (Van Liere 1992).
Includes:
– sequences of bill raking, scratching with one leg, head rubbing, and vertical wing shaking (Van Liere 1992).
Rubbing:
Main purpose:
– increasing contact between the litter and the proximal integument, the down and the skin (Van Liere 1992).
Includes:
– side lying and side rubbing (Van Liere 1992).
– the hen usually lies on its side, stretches its leg, and pushes itself against the rim of its dust-bathing litter box (Van Liere 1992).
Tossing vs. Rubbing
The rubbing behavior is distinguished from tossing by flattened feathers and wings pressed against the body (Van Liere 1992).