• Question: why do chickens fall asleep when covered with a cloth?

    Asked by Cedric4ever <3 to Rupert, Ellen, Carrie on 17 Mar 2017.
    • Photo: Carrie Ijichi

      Carrie Ijichi answered on 17 Mar 2017:

      Chickens has evolved to sleep during dull light up the in tree canopies away from predators. They come from the tropical jungle so there’s even daylight throughout the year and this works really well. Now they’re all over the world as a domesticated version of the jungle bird and their light is controlled by humans. When you cover them, it’s just the low light that effects them. Chickens also show “tonic immobility” which is where they become completely still but aren’t asleep. If the cloth stresses them out, it could be tonic immobility rather than sleep

Comments