chickens sleeping on their backs

[drumstick diva]

Yoderlayheehoo - hope the bumblefoot surgery goes well

 

[wornez]

There are many articles on tonic immobility in chickens:

http://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:323597/FULLTEXT01

Many articles are rather scientific, and analyze stress levels in
relation to this phenomona, the concept of death feigning is
also suggested whereby a chicken will exhibit "pretending to be
dead" behavior.

I think that tonic immobility is hardwired behavior that exists within
the chicken throughout its embryonic development. This is where
being inside an egg requires an immobilized state. I think its simply
a leftover trait from when the chick was an embryo growing inside
the egg. Although chickens are primitive creatures, their stages of
embryonic development and incubation are critical and meticulously
executed. I think its simply a resemblance of the catatonic state it once
had inside its' egg, it was just a feature of critical embryonic development
(essential life preserving activity). The infant chick can't be kicking about
inside the egg all day, or the egg would rupture, leading to premature birth.

This is just one of the many dumb things an adult chicken does, like trying
to walk through a glass sliding door for example.

I don't think the death feigning concept holds water. A predator to this creature
is simply too quick to snap its neck. How many times have you seen a chicken
play dead when you try to catch it? Never. It struggles and struggles, even when it
gets caught between two objects it still struggles, then you finally catch it it flaps
its wings for added inconvenience.

 

[capper2013]

There are many articles on tonic immobility in chickens:

http://liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:323597/FULLTEXT01

Many articles are rather scientific, and analyze stress levels in
relation to this phenomona, the concept of death feigning is
also suggested whereby a chicken will exhibit "pretending to be
dead" behavior.

I think that tonic immobility is hardwired behavior that exists within
the chicken throughout its embryonic development. This is where
being inside an egg requires an immobilized state. I think its simply
a leftover trait from when the chick was an embryo growing inside
the egg. Although chickens are primitive creatures, their stages of
embryonic development and incubation are critical and meticulously
executed. I think its simply a resemblance of the catatonic state it once
had inside its' egg, it was just a feature of critical embryonic development
(essential life preserving activity). The infant chick can't be kicking about
inside the egg all day, or the egg would rupture, leading to premature birth.

This is just one of the many dumb things an adult chicken does, like trying
to walk through a glass sliding door for example.

I don't think the death feigning concept holds water. A predator to this creature
is simply too quick to snap its neck. How many times have you seen a chicken
play dead when you try to catch it? Never. It struggles and struggles, even when it
gets caught between two objects it still struggles, then you finally catch it it flaps
its wings for added inconvenience.

I think there may be some merit in this. I have 4 chicks hatch today. one of them always sleeps on its back. even if turned over the right way it will move itself onto it's back as soon as possible.
it has fine mobility, it has bonded with the other chicks too, it just seems to prefer sleeping like a human.
it opens it's eyes whilst on it's back, it is not just a sleeping thing. when it wants to move it rolls over, jumps up and toddles off quite happy. then lays down on it's back again. even whilst being held it prefers this way of resting. it gets quite chirpy if turned over, then rolls back to where it was.
funny little thing to watch!
so given that it is choice I don't think it will be oxygen starvation, more likely as poster put; it is to do with position in the egg.

 

[ChristinLewin]

Taken just now - hatched this morning at 2am

isbar