When chickens are hot..do they "pant" and/or lay with wings splayed out?

[jewel1]

My chickens are just over 2-months old, and it hasn't been real hot in my part of California until a few days ago, when temps hit the high 80's. The chickens have shade and plenty of water, but I noticed by Black Australorp doing two unusual things...walking around with her mouth open like she was panting...and she kept laying down in sunny spots and splaying her wings out from her body.

Are either or both of these tricks to beat the heat...or are they signs of something else? Thanks!

 

[kidcody]

This is completely normal behavior!

 

[jlquick30]

Ours pant when they are hot.. but they usually go sprawl out in the shade to get cool. Maybe she's confused?

 

[ruby]

fresh water and some shade will help.....looks like a hot chicken to me! We have had 100+ here in Alabama. Heat index over 105, gotta love that humidity ...

 

[Sunnysimplelife]

I am in SoCal too and my chickens are doing the same thing. They love if I make big puddles for them to walk in and splash around.

 

[jewel1]

I am in SoCal too and my chickens are doing the same thing. They love if I make big puddles for them to walk in and splash around.

Thanks for all the replies, guys...glad to hear it's normal. Actually, soon after this pic, I sprayed some water over some areas of the patio and added a tiny "pool" for them. The others seemed normal except for drinking more water....only the Australorp was doing that behavior. I have no idea why she kept laying in the sun instead of the shade.

 

[LivingTheDream65]

One trick I learned this summer (like you) is that I took the lid off a big tupperware storage tub and filled it with water. They love it, they will just stand in it or scratch in it. I change the water every hour or so to keep it clean (because they do drink it too) and cool.

 

[centrarchid]

Bird in first image is either sunning to warm up or absorb ultraviolet light to make vitamin D as needed for calcium metabolism. Latter if temperature was warm.

 

[jewel1]

Bird in first image is either sunning to warm up or absorb ultraviolet light to make vitamin D as needed for calcium metabolism. Latter if temperature was warm.

Ah..interesting thought about the Vitamin D. The main run the birds are in doesn' tget much direct sunlight...a lot of shade and indirect. Maybe she's trying to sunbathe...but it was weird because she was also panting.

 

[centrarchid]

Ah..interesting thought about the Vitamin D. The main run the birds are in doesn' tget much direct sunlight...a lot of shade and indirect. Maybe she's trying to sunbathe...but it was weird because she was also panting.

Sometimes needs conflict. Bird must suffer a little heat stress to manufacture vitamin D needed. It is kind of like eating plants that are mildly toxic or simply bad tasting but contain nutrients you need.