Chicken squat while eating?

[TheSpiceGirls]

Can someone tell me what's going on here?

This is a 11 month old Partridge Cochin. She's very food obsessed and loves to eat. Otherwise acting fine and laying eggs.

But I caught her last night at the feeder taking several big gulps of food and then flaring her wings out like she was squatting. She did it over and over but I didn't have my phone with me. I just assumed she was extra full as she was just about to go roost.

This video is from this morning where she's doing it again. Not as strong but still doing it. I'm baffled as to what she's doing.

 

[junebuggena]

That's how hen's wing dip, it's not submisive squatting. She's actually posturing at that Buff Orpington. She's saying, "'Back off, I'm not finished yet."

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

That's how hen's wing dip, it's not submisive squatting. She's actually posturing at that Buff Orpington. She's saying, "'Back off, I'm not finished yet."

Interesting. That makes sense. She was the bottom of the pecking order for her first 9 months and then suddenly discovered she's just as big and has a beak and has become more aggressive in the past few month. Not so aggressive that we have issues. But sleeping on the top roost rung, etc.

I'll keep an eye on it. Glad that there's nothing physically wrong w/ her.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[junebuggena]

She may be about to go broody. Broody hormones can make normally docile hens more aggressive/dominant.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

She may be about to go broody. Broody hormones can make normally docile hens more aggressive/dominant.

Could be possible too. She is a Cochin. And I picked up one of my Buff Orpingtons the other day and she's plucked out all her breast feathers. No other signs of going broody. But spring is in the air and I knew I'd have to deal w/ broodies when I got these guys.