Do chicks ever sleep in weird positions? and chick age question

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

My chicks are about 2 1/2 weeks old - I think. They arrived at the feed store here in FL on March 27th. Would you assume they were born on or around the 24th or 25th of March? I don't know which hatchery they're from, but I know they're from a big hatchery so I assume they shipped them as Day Old chicks... any ideas?

So... they're outside in an enclosed run now with no heat lamp during the day. It's the mid 80s during the day so I assume they're okay outside. We bring them in at night with the red lamp.

Today I noticed 2 of the 3 chicks sleeping/laying weird. I thought they were dead at first. I know little bitty chicks sleep face-down sometimes, but these girls are getting their feathers and are bigger, so I thought the odd sleeping position phase was over. They sit sort of normal, then kick both legs out to the side and sort of stretch out, lay their heads down and drop their wings down a bit. It looks almost like they're sleeping on their side (or dead). When I go out there and call them, they hop up and peep like crazy running around...

So do chicks (or chickens for that matter) ever sleep sort of on their sides like this? Or is this a sign of some sort of problem?

THANKS!

 

[Mandalina]

my chicks sleep on their sides with their legs all stretched out. i have one banty who sleeps with her one leg up in the air lol. she always looks dead when i sneak up on her in the morning.

 

[tabatha_westcott]

Mine started doing that. I thought they were dead too but it turns out they were just learning to do the whole dust-bath thing

 

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

Well I feel a bit better. I never knew chickens could lay on their side to sleep. Phew.

 

[Iancurrannacearca]

mine sleep in loads of weird positions!! and they are fine!!

 

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

Quote:
THAT ISN'T IN THE CHICKEN BOOKS!!! LOLOL.

I told DH that I realized how attached I am to these darned birds. When I saw Maggie all splayed out today my heart just sank and my stomach got queasy and I screamed "MAGGIE!" and she got up annoyed that she'd been woken up by a crazy woman and ran around peeping. I felt like such a tool. LOL.

 

[ChooksChick]

What's even more fun is when they go to sunbathe and flip over, nearly on their back, wit one wing slightly raised, and pant...that'll freak you out pretty fast! Eyes closed, looking like they are quite unwell.

It's just their comfy pose- a lot better than when they try to sleep standing up, which indicates they're too cold.

Little clowns!

 

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

Thanks for all the responses.


Anyone have any thoughts on the age question? Do you think I'm pretty close with my chicks' hatch date?

 

[ChandlersChickens]

I would say you are pretty close. They are usually shipped when they are a day old. BUT....I got some chicks from a hatchery once and they already had some feathers....so who knows

 

[Quella]

Quote:
Haha! First time I let them out it was really sunny and it definitely looked like they were "catching some rays"! It freaked me out at first I thought they were overheating or something ...