Do chicks lie down (really!) to sleep??

[4Hchickenproject]

So I checked on the chicks tonight, much later than the first three nights, and found them all sprawled out like a bunch of fat, lazy pups. Some were lying nearly flat on their sides! Others, appearing snuggled on the bedding, looked like I expected, but their heads were even flat to the side. I guess I was expecting them to have their heads tucked, sleeping upright...

DH said since they were all sleeping like that, and many woke when I peered in, that it's probably normal. I was just surprised, they looked so funny...but I want to be sure they're not too hot, too thirsty, too...anything.

Temp is ok according to our "official" guide, the 4-H Guide to Raising Chickens, we have chick starter available for them, and two fresh waterers.

Just curious...

Anna

 

[Imp]

Oh yeah!

Sometimes they just seem to collapse where they stand.

Sometimes they look dead, too funny.

Imp

 

[hennyannie]

Sometimes they look expired. Love it when non chicken people see this for the first time. Last year I went to the place where I get pullets and they had only one BO in the bin. I ask why she was alone in there. The lady explained that a man came in and got all the rest and she was asleep stretch out. He would not even take her for free because something was wrong withher he said. So of course my kids had to rescue her. They turned her into a house chicken until the next week when we got more pullets.

 

[TouchO'Lass]

Give 'em all Valium, shake 'em up in a big cup and toss em back in the brooder...

Splayed out across the floor, hanging off the roosts, heads canked over things like they've been deboned.

Scared the fire outta me the first week!

Still gets my attention every morning, but yeah! They sleep like that. Just wait until they take a sand bath and look like they're having a seizure!

APPARENTLY! They have not read the guide. Nor do they understand they are being watched...

OR! (And this is my personal opinion!) They do it on purpose and when we turn our backs they're giving each other little high three's and laughing their leedle butt feathers off...

 

[Imp]

TouchO'Lass :

Give 'em all Valium, shake 'em up in a big cup and toss em back in the brooder...

Splayed out across the floor, hanging off the roosts, heads canked over things like they've been deboned.

Scared the fire outta me the first week!

Still gets my attention every morning, but yeah! They sleep like that. Just wait until they take a sand bath and look like they're having a seizure!

APPARENTLY! They have not read the guide. Nor do they understand they are being watched...

OR! (And this is my personal opinion!) They do it on purpose and when we turn our backs they're giving each other little high three's and laughing their leedle butt feathers off...

Now you're making me laugh.

Imp​

 

[AUChick9202]

I have noticed this too. The first night we had our chicks, my daughter comes in to tell me that her chicken was dead. My DH went down there and she was just sleeping

 

[al6517]

LOL yes it's normal, they can be very funny when they get tired and just plop over wherever they are, like an Ole lazy pot licker dog snoozin on the porch. here is a good example.

AL

 

[TouchO'Lass]

Al6517!! Bwaaaaahahahahahah!

That's all bums and beaks!! Hilarious!

 

[al6517]

I know it's a hoot, too bad it only last a week or so then they become pretty civilized LOL.

AL

 

[BrattishTaz]

You are not a real chicken person until you have nearly had a heart attack seeing "dead" chicks sprawled around the brooder. It is part of the initiation.

Welcome to the club!