Does anybody else’s chicken sleep like this?

[greggooo]

I have a small 6 bird flock. And yes, I have a chicken cam. That way I can check on them and the temperature and humidity without disturbing their sleep.

5 birds neatly tuck their head around under a wing. One, Marsha, just lets it hang all down. Doesn’t the blood go to her head? This is almost every evening.

 

[Rainbowskyes]

lol...I have no info to offer you, but that is too funny! Reminds my of my son, his head is always hanging off his bed and I wonder the same thing, but he's made it to 18, so it must be fine!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

That’s funny. So long as she wakes up everyday and is healthy, it’s probably fine. Maybe some of our chickens do that, but we’re not nosy enough to find out.

 

[Silverskye76]

Lol.. Yes some do that lol.. I think I need to start taking some pics of how mine sleep sometimes.. They can be really funny weird interesting lil creatures lol. I don't think you need to worry about the blood rushing to her head, as long as she don't go head first off the perch lol I had one recently do that.. Apparently it didn't hurt her to much. Now she sleeps in a different spot tho lol.

 

[greggooo]

That’s funny. So long as she wakes up everyday and is healthy, it’s probably fine. Maybe some of our chickens do that, but we’re not nosy enough to find out.

Oh, I'm SO nosy. Now Chicken TV is my favorite channel...

 

[aart]

Have seen that too.
I would love to have a coop cam!

 

[sharkerbaby]

Ha. Totally agree re: chicken tv, love my coop cam.

I too have one who slept like that until it started getting cold, now she pulls her head all the way into her shoulders so that all you can see is her beak poking out of her feathers - i think she's part turtle.

 

[chickens really]

That's more of a Pullets sleeping posture when they are first roosting...It sure looks funny when they are fast asleep with their heads hanging...It's normal

 

[Dawnclucks22]

Yep, that's normal. Although it would be super cute if she was all snuggled up too, lol

 

[azygous]

Well, I'm that nosy. I've observed my chickens in such a wide range of behavior, it's been a real education. Knowing these little behavior quirks can end up being very useful.

When my present roo was a tiny chick, he would go completely "dead chick" when I held him. He would instantly relax and fall asleep with his head dangling, giving the appearance of having just croaked. I figured I could use that somehow.

It turned out knowing this is a relaxing position for chickens came in handy when roost training five-week old chicks as I transitioned them to the coop. Everyone who's attempted to introduce chicks to the roost has discovered that chicks aren't thrilled at the prospect of sleeping balanced on a beam after sleeping puppy-piled since they were eggs.

After carefully arranging the chicks in close formation on the perch, I quiet them by placing my hands on their heads, exerting gentle downward pressure so they lower their heads just below the level of the perch. The result is instant calm, and some drop off to sleep within seconds.

Incorporating a natural behavior in training is one of the best ways to achieve your objective.

Here's a recent thread with a cute photo of what we're talking about on this one. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sleeping-with-heads-down.1080116/