Book 31, Question 47
Why do chickens scratch the ground with their feet?
A chicken’s feet are strong, with sturdy toes and claws.
Scratching shifts leaves and soil to uncover seeds, bugs, and worms hidden underneath. A chicken often scratches backward with one foot, then steps back and looks over what it found. Scratching also helps the bird’s sense of its surroundings. It’s natural foraging behavior that chickens do even when food is plentiful.