What is she doing??

[Bougie_chix]

I’m new to chickening, like a month - I’m obsessed, and I haven’t seen any of my girls sitting like this - you know, for a month. I just feel like this is a very unnatural way for a chicken to sit/lay. Right? I catch her napping like this too. Is she sick? I have examined her and she doesn’t appear to be injured. I’m cleaning the coop religiously because I’m a germaphobe, clean water daily, rake the chicken run every week…my husband thinks I’m a nut. She’s eating, drinking and pooping normally. She always perks up, runs around and flies on top of the coop and perch, but as soon as she’s done running around she will lay down. She’s been vaccinated so I don’t think it’s fowl pox or Mareks disease. Do I need to quarantine her? Picture attached.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Looks to me like she's sunbathing... Perfectly normal.

 

[Bougie_chix]

Looks to me like she's sunbathing... Perfectly normal.

Seriously? I feel like an idiot

 

[wrathsfarm]

Seriously? I feel like an idiot

Chickens do weird stuff we don't understand when we're new to it.

That's perfectly normal also.

When I first got mine I seen one writhing around in the dirt, and thought sure it was having an episode close to death.
Nope.... dust bath.

 

[townchicks]

Seriously? I feel like an idiot

Please don't. You know what they say, there are no dumb questions. So much better to ask, than let something serious get to the too late stage because you were embarrassed to ask. Many a chicken owner has had a heart attack seeing their hens lying like that for the first time, and even the second. Check out the thread This chicken is not dead, it's pretty funny. I'd leave a link, if only I knew how.

 

[WingItRanch]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/this-chicken-is-not-dead.1632248/

Hey, we've all been there! She looks very relaxed. Check out the above thread as @townchicks suggested. It's hilarious.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Please don't. You know what they say, there are no dumb questions. So much better to ask, than let something serious get to the too late stage because you were embarrassed to ask. Many a chicken owner has had a heart attack seeing their hens lying like that for the first time, and even the second. Check out the thread This chicken is not dead, it's pretty funny. I'd leave a link, if only I knew how.

Here it is...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/this-chicken-is-not-dead.1632248/

 

[wrathsfarm]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/this-chicken-is-not-dead.1632248/

Hey, we've all been there! She looks very relaxed. Check out the above thread as @townchicks suggested. It's hilarious.

Ya beat me to it....

 

[WingItRanch]

Ya beat me to it....

Great minds! It's my favorite BYC thread. I wish pictures would capture dust bathing chaos, as well!

 

[z3lda3]

Chickens do weird stuff we don't understand when we're new to it.

That's perfectly normal also.

When I first got mine I seen one writhing around in the dirt, and thought sure it was having an episode close to death.
Nope.... dust bath.

I can beat that. So one of my girls were inside, being bathed. Afterwards she was preening herself, and I saw what I THOUGHT was a growth, a tumor, something horrible! I panicked of course, after a vet visit (yes I was foolish in front of my vet) turns out it’s an oil gland. Apparently all chickens have them. who knew.