Sunbathing or overheating?!

[mrsobe1]

I have been keeping my chicks in my garage due to flooding in my area. (It is climate controlled) I just got home and opened the garage door and they all went and layed over on their sides, wings spread, where the sun is hitting their pen. I thought it was maybe sunbathing but some of them are panting too. They could move to the shade and have plenty of water. It's 90 degrees out, could they still be enjoying the sun??

 

[QueenMisha]

Yep, it was 101 out here today and the girls were happily sunbathing anyways, and panting too. If they get too hot they'll know to move to the shade.

 

[azygous]

No matter how hot it is, chickens (baby chicks, too) instinctively present their bodies to the sun's radiation in order to absorb vitamin D through their feathers, as we do through out skin. Vitamin D is essential for bone growth as well as those future eggs we're all expecting from our baby chicks one day soon!