My OEG bantam hen just started playing dead when I pick her up. She is almost 4 mos old and will eat out of my hand and occasionally jump up onto my knee. In the evening she likes to roost on the fence and when I pick her up to put her away she "goes to sleep," at first I thought she was really tired because it was evening and she was already half closing her eyes before I picked her up. But this morning got into the front yard (where she isn't supposed to be) so I picked her up to take her to the back again and she got all limp and went to sleep. It seems strange that she plays dead because she doesn't try to get away from me when I'm picking her up and doesn't ever seem afraid of me. Any way, I hadn't really heard of chickens doing this and none of my other bantams (cochins and silkies) do this.