Globally chickens are common sources of meat and eggs. The sounds of roosters make great wake-up calls. They make for great pals too. Yet, the behavior of chickens can seem slightly bizarre,

Pecking, scratching, diging seems to be the favorite pass time for free-range chickens. Many people may be curious about chickens doing this. So, why do chickens dig holes?

Chickens dig holes to find food, create dust baths, prepare nests, manicure their nails and during social interactions. They will dig looking for food even when there is enough food available. They sharpen their nails by digging. Chickens will even dig if they feel awkward. Digging also helps them find an ideal spot for eggs.

Why do chickens dig holes?

It’s safe to say that chickens always have something to do, clucking, laying, mating, sleeping, bathing, pecking, strutting, scratching, and digging. These birds really enjoy their time on the ground, often digging here and there for several reasons.

Chickens dig holes to unearth food, create dust baths, prepare nests, manicure their nails, and during social interactions with other gossiping hens. Digging holes is a favorite pass time of chickens.

Foraging chickens will dig holes in the ground to find seeds, earthworms, or insect treats. Scratching and digging the ground for food is an instinctive survival mechanism. Even with loads of accessibly feed, chickens will still dig, scratch and peck at the ground.

In the absence of hatcheries and incubating nests, chickens naturally dig out their ideal spot to lay their eggs. Often hidden out of sight but with some covering, hens’ nest down to brood her little hatchlings.

A rooster must look his best and be capable of protecting his territory. To do that his claws need to be manicured to keep them looking good and sharpened to be effective for fighting.

Digging holes allows both roosters and hens to manicure their claws and sharpen them.

Also, interestingly enough, when chickens are feeling socially awkward in social interaction, they dig the ground with their feet and beak.

Why do chicks bury themselves in the dirt?

Another reason why chickens dig holes is to bathe. It may look like they’re trying to bury themselves, but rest assured they’re not. Everybody has to take a bath at some point, never mind if that bath is actually in the dirt.

Does dustbathing even make chickens cleaner? Maybe not, but dust bathing does keep feathers in good condition and protect chickens from parasites like lice and mites. They are very dedicated to their bathing. They’ll spend days even weeks preparing their perfect warm, powdery dust bath spot before jumping in.

Can chickens dig under fences

The reports of chicken digging under fences are few and infrequent, but it does happen just not for the reasons you’re thinking. Chickens aren’t trying to make a run for it.

Rather digging under fences is often an attempt to get at something attractive underneath or on the other side. Maybe an insect nest, seeds, or some desired treat. They rarely ever run away from a good supply of feed and comfy resting places. Their digging is generally not large enough to burrow under any fencing.

Will chickens ruin grass?

The natural habits of chickens can be damaging to your grass for more reasons than one. For starters, chicks like to dig, scratch and peck, and not necessarily always in the same spot. This means that potentially chicks will dig away at the roots of plants, including grass, to get at the soil and what’s in it.

Chickens will ruin your lawn if they don’t have enough space to roam, or if your grass is thick and light. Thicker sturdy varieties of grass fare very well regardless of chicken habits.

In extreme situations, chicken eating and pooping habits can have negative effects on the grass. Chickens do eat grass, but how much they eat is generally little. It would take thousands of chickens to cause real damage. Chicken poop is high in nitrogen, it would take a stockpile of poop to cause noticeable damage to grass over time.

Over time chicken activity can reduce the texture and growth of your lawn. So, if you want to skip mowing the lawn, let the chickens have it. Just be sure to give the grass some months at a time to regrow and get its rich green texture back.

How to stop chickens from digging holes

Digging, scratching, pecking at spots of earth are natural to chickens. There are some breeds of chickens that don’t do as much digging like Orpingtons and feather food bantams.

Stopping chickens from digging would require putting up chicken wire around areas you want to preserve and stacking stones at the base of plants you don’t want to be uprooted.

Conclusion

Digging is natural to chickens. They dig to find food, dust bathe, sharpen claws and as a social habit. They aren’t skilled enough to dig burrows under fences. Their digging can, however, ruin grass.

It may be a good idea to safeguard portions of your lawn with chicken wire and support the roots of plants with large stones to keep chickens from uprooting them. Chickens are amazing birds and they greatly benefit you and me in many ways.

If you’re interested in chickens you may also be interested in these articles: do chickens yawn, why do chickens eat rocks, how to get chickens back in the coop, when do chickens get feathers, how to get chickens used to a new coop, click the links to read more.