Chickens are quite active animals. These birds spend their days scratching in the grass, laying in the sun, foraging for food, and taking dust baths.
If one of your birds is lethargic and is laying on its side, you’d be right to worry. But why does this happen? This article explores why your chicken is laying on its side.
If your chicken is laying on its side, and it is currently laying eggs or just had a dust bath, then this is normal. If the bird is laying on its side, and is showing signs of illness, then your bird is likely sick
Table of Contents
Chicken laying on side
When it’s normal:
Resting after a bath:
Chickens like to rest and lay down after their dust or water baths. The bird may lay down upright or choose to rest and lay down on its side. Laying down helps them dry off if they’ve had a water bath.
If they lay spread out after the dust bath, they are simply enjoying the sun and getting vitamin D from the sun. They may even stretch their wings out to get as much sun as possible
Egg-laying:
Laying eggs is a very tiring and energy-intensive process for chickens, this loss of energy will cause your bird to lay on its side because it is so tired. This is normal and your bird should perk up soon after this
When it’s not normal:
Checking your bird for signs of illness will help you figure out if the laying down is normal or not. Here are a few things to look out for if your bird is laying on its side:
Abnormal eyes:
A healthy chicken’s eyes are clear and alert, if your bird’s eyes are clear when laying down then you likely have nothing to worry about.
If your bird’s eyes are not clear, then there may be an issue. Sick chickens will have swollen eyes and excess fluid around the eye area
Abnormal nostrils:
A chicken’s nostrils are usually clear, their nostrils will not release any fluid or discharge if they are healthy. If you notice that there is fluid or discharge coming out of the bird’s nostrils, and/or dirt around their nostrils, then there is something wrong
Abnormal crop:
A chicken’s crop will be full right after the bird has eaten, it will empty out later on. If your bird’s crop is not emptying, then the bird may have sour crop or an impacted crop, both of these conditions will cause the bird to lay on its side
Abnormal comb:
A chicken’s comb is a sign of how healthy the bird is. This organ is usually a bright red color (depending on the breed of chicken) and stands upright.
If your bird’s comb is paler than usual, or looks different than usual, then you’d be right to worry. The bird may be suffering from a mineral deficiency or dehydration and this can cause the bird to become lethargic and lay down
Abnormal vent:
The vent is the opening where your birds waste and eggs come out. This area should be clean, pink, and moist. There should be no signs of inflammation, discoloration, or dirt in this area
If your bird’s vent is acting abnormally or looks abnormal, and the bird is laying down on its side, then your bird may have a prolapsed vent, it may be egg bound, or the bird may have vent gleet
Abnormal droppings:
A healthy chicken’s droppings will be consistent throughout its life.
If your bird’s droppings suddenly change, and you notice mucus or blood in the droppings, diarrhea, bright green or yellow-colored droppings, or droppings that have a foul smell, then your bird may be suffering from an ailment that is likely weakening the bird and causing it to lay on its side.
Abnormal feathers:
The bird’s feathers are also a sign of how healthy the bird is.
If your bird’s feathers have changed for the worse, if they have bald spots when it’s not molting season, then your bird may be suffering from a lice infestation or have a mineral deficiency
If you notice any of the above in your chicken, then you need to take your bird to a certified avian vet.
Is it normal for chickens to lay down?
Laying down can be normal for chickens but not if the bird is suddenly laying down for long periods of time.
Chickens that are usually active will only take a break if they want to rest in the shade for a little while, but they generally won’t lay down for long periods of time.
On the other hand, some birds are naturally more lazy than others and will spend most of their days laying around.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: What To Do When One Lovebird Dies, Chicken With One Droopy Wing, Sugar Water For Sick Chickens, How To Tell If A Mother Bird Has Abandoned Her Nest