Do chickens lay on their sides?

[Bassbum2]

I have a chicken that lays on her side once and a while. She is a 10 week old Golden Comet if that matters. Is this normal behavior? A friend of mine that has been around chickens a lot growing up says it is not right? She gets up and runs around and acts like the rest of the girls in the flock so I don't think she is sick or hurt.

Russeell

 

[Fletch83]

Mine do that all the time! It looks like yours is doing some sunbathing!

 

[memphis]

Perfectly normal! Chickens love to sun bathe and to take dust bathes!! Mine do it all the time. She looks like she's enjoying herself!

 

[Bassbum2]

I thought it was okay but I have no experience as I am a first time chicken owner. I have only seen her do it so far, it will be interesting to see if the others do it as well.

Russell

 

[what did I do]

Aren't they funny. They look dead or like something is wrong. It shocked me the first time I saw my chicks doing this and at times I still wonder if something is wrong.

 

[Fletch83]

Mine frequently combine their dust bathing with sun bathing, so on a number of occasions I have found them face-down, covered in dirt, on their sides in a huge dirt hole that they have thoughtfully dug out in the middle of my lawn. It certainly looks alarming