It's hot and my girls are lying on their sides.

[mdbokc]

Mine get fruit all the time except for citrus fruits. No slowdown because of fruit. They love all of it.

 

[mschickychick]

I freeze sandwich bags of grated squash and on hot days like this I take them one to enjoy and cool off with. It's a great way to use up the extra squash you have.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Not true at all. Mine get strawberries, watermelon, plums, nectarines, honeydew, cantaloupe, grapes and it hasn't affected laying. But as with all things, the key is moderation. If you feed them ONLY fruit, I'm sure they'd stop laying.

 

[Msbear]

We should start a sunbathing thread... wait, I think there already is one

here's a pic of mine

I found the link https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=84865&p=1

 

[Dora'smom]

I've heard someone refer to this as "chickens squished by the sun". They really are totally relaxed, just enjoying the warmth.

 

[felidaet]

Sun bathing?

Does the sun still exist?

I think that anyone else living in western Washington or western Oregon will agree that it does not exist anymore. It has been replaced by clouds and rain almost everyday for the last 2 months. It is really getting depressing.

Even slugs are looking for dry places to hide.

 

[operator16]

Mine looked like that last week when we were in the upper 90s. We misted them with water, put out watermelon, and then filled a large shallow dish (like the ones you put under your plants so they don't drip on your floor) with ice water. They all jumped right in there, cooled off, drank the water, got it all sandy, ate the sand, etc.... They cooled right off! It was a HUGE hit with the gals.

Best wishes!

 

[Supermommy486]

Mine do that too. Freaked me out at first lol

 

[frog522]

My 6 week chickens do something like this. Is it normal? I wasn't sure what to make of it since they have been in a relatively controlled temperature environment in the house since we turned off the heat lamp.

When I bring them out on warm days they do this upon stepping on our wooden deck or brick walkway. They gently fall over and open one wing. I'm not sure what to make of it. I figured two things:

1) Their feet are too hot and uncomfortable so they alleviate the heat and roll onto their sides...but then I was wondering wouldn't they know better that their side would become too hot too? When will they learn what shade is and what great cooling affects shade has?

2) They enjoy the warmth.

From this thread, it sounds like the case is #2. Should I not be worried anymore that my chickens having figured out "if" their feet might be too hot and don't know how to find a cooler place?

 

[hkwdesign]

My Buff Orp did that the other day, seemed to not be able to get her legs up and was waddling around - turns out she had been taking a dust bath and had a TON of dirt weighing her down - legs went right up after she shook it all out!