Silkie behavior..pre-egg laying?

[roymchll]

I am new to chickens. I have 6 mixed breeds and one silkie. Today, I let them out of the coop/run and watched them for a while. The silkie was making alot of noise and hanging around in some bushes. Then, when I looked again, she was laying down, with her feet outstretched. She looked like she was dead and some of the other chickens came over to check on her. Is this normal? Does this mean she is getting ready to lay?

Also, she doesn't use the ramp unless it is to go in for the night. She also won't fly up to the perches like the rest. She seems afraid. I built the nesting boxes into the side of the coop, but am wondering if I should put one lower for her?

Any ideas would be appreciated. Also, any ideas on pre-egg laying behavior in general would be helpful for my other ones.

Thanks!

 

[jen5680]

None of my silkies go up on the perch and I have boxes on the ground for them.
As to why she was laying like that I have no idea?? Is she doing the egg song?

 

[jen5680]

Forgot to add that you might want to get another silkie for her to cuddle with at night if she doesn't go up with the others.

 

[Elite Silkies]

Mine lay down like that, I think they are just stretching and relaxing. I would put her nest box on the ground. I gave mine nest boxes, but they just prefer to lay where ever they see fit.

I would get her another silkie mate though, so she will have a mate.

 

[Tiramisu]

If it was sunny by where the silkie was laying down, it was sun bathing. Usually when pullets are about to lay they will do the "squat". They will hunker down a bit, they maybe move their legs a lot while they do it and they will kind of put their wings up and they will stay in that position for a couple of seconds and when they do that they are close to laying.