Afarmyardhenwillfindasuitableareaoffinesoilandthen
form a hollow in it, fluffing up the
soilintoherfeathersandthenshakingenergeticallytoremove
thedust.Theneedtodothisisinstinctive,andpresentevenin
cagedbirds.Onestudyfoundthatbirdskeptonwirefloors
had“ahigherdenudationofthebelly”andsuggestedthat“the
lack of appropriate material for dustbathing may be an
important factor, as it is well known that hens perform
dustbathingactivities directlyon thewire floor.”^53 Indeed,
another researcher found that hens kept on wire actually
engage in dustbathing-like behavior—without any dust to
fluffintotheirfeathers—moreoftenthanbirdskeptonsand,
althoughforshorterperiodsoftime.^54 Theurgetodustbathe
issostrongthathenskeeptryingtodoso,despitethewire
floors,and rubthefeathersofftheir belliesin theprocess.
Again, ifreleased from thecages,thesebirdswilltake up
dustbathing with real relish. It is wonderful to see howa
dejected, timid, almost featherless hen can, in a relatively
shortperiod,recoverbothherfeathersandhernaturaldignity
when put into a suitable environment.
Toappreciatetheconstantandacutefrustrationofthelivesof
hensinmoderneggfactoriesitisbesttowatchacagefullof
hensforashortperiod.Theyseemunabletostandorperch
comfortably.Evenifoneortwobirdswerecontentwiththeir
positions,solongasotherbirdsinthecagearemoving,they
must move too. It is like watching three people tryingto
spenda comfortablenightina singlebed—exceptthatthe
hensarecondemnedtothisfruitlessstruggleforanentireyear
ratherthanasinglenight.Anaddedirritationisthataftera
fewmonthsinthecagesthebirdsstarttolosetheirfeathers,
partlyfromrubbingagainstthewire,andpartlybecauseother
birdsareconstantlypeckingatthem.Theresultisthattheir