playing dead???

[cracked_egg]

I'm not sure they're ok? Did I stress them out too much when I tried to catch them? (Problem with a big coop when they're still small... They're hard to catch)... Anyway, I made a little outside run for them, but it isn't hooked to coop, so I had to catch them all and put them in box and carry outside... They seemed mad to be outside, then started to like it, but then they started laying on their sides with wings stretchrd out like they're dead... Are they ok? Is this some odd chicken behavior I haven't seen before?

 

[turtlebird]

I've seen my ladies do this....I just assumed they were sunbathing! Soaking up the sun's warmth!

 

[gryeyes]

Could they possibly be sun-bathing? Or dust bathing? Does it look anything like this?

Sometimes they look like they are having a seizure, and it's just part of the dust bathing experience. They're ENJOYING themselves.

 

[cracked_egg]

Oh good! Yes it does sort of look like that... I was worried they're too hot, but they're only 2-3 weeks old and its 75-80 here, not too bad... Plus there is nice breeze, they're so funny! But I put the box in and they are all standing behind it for shade so I think that is part of problem... Boy they love being outside though!!!!

 

[Jesseschickens]

dont worry mine do this all the time i all ways tell them their feathers arnt going to get any lighter

 

[gritsar]

That's dustbathing, but just FYI chickens do play dead. My old alpha roo would chase the beta roo from time to time. Poor Thor Boy, he'd run as far as he could but then lay down and play dead.

 

[1newchickontheblock]

Mine all laid down, "dead", together today. Too funny!!

 

[KBChicks]

One of my 9 week old girls was doing the same thing when our friend Dave popped in for a visit.
He ran into the house hollering that one of our chickens had died. I dropped what I was doing and darted out to the run...

MAN....was I relived to see that she was only dust-bathing....

Now Dave thinks he's a "Chicken Expert" when he sees a chicken all sprawled out in the dirt and explains to his buddies what it's really doing.

 

[beachchickie]

I had all 5 of my 8 wk old chicks suddenly raise their neck feathers, and fall over with wings out and crazed look in their eyes. I thought it was Jonestown. They were sunbathing.