Creeper Chicken

[XanderWiFi]

The creeper chicken is not a good photography subject lol. She is only near you when your back is turned. I was literally chasing her to get these. I have a separate breed ID thread that hopefully has a better quality shot.

 

[aart]

The creeper chicken is not a good photography subject lol. She is only near you when your back is turned. I was literally chasing her to get these. I have a separate breed ID thread that hopefully has a better quality shot.

You'll have to creep her to get a good shot

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I think she’s a Black Andalusian pullet/hen.
Picture is from google

 

[AllenK RGV]

@aart OP brought up a good point that I would like clarification on. I have noticed on a few occasions as I am walking past a hen they do a squat and spread their wings... am I supposed to mount them? It looks so submissive.

 

[aart]

am I supposed to mount them?

Please tell me this is not a serious question....kind of off topic, other than it's kinda creepy. Apologies to @XanderWiFi for extending the topic diversion.

It looks so submissive.

It is submissive. Active layers will often submit like that when the human keeper walks near, especially if there is no cock/erel present, but please don't mount them.

Some folks will give them a back pat or scratch, then the bird will stand up and shake her tail feathers to distribute the semen as she walks away-despite the fact that (hopefully) none was deposited, but I seriously doubt it is necessary to respond to a squatting chicken. I've always had a male in my flock so rarely have a pullet/hen squat near me.

A bird may also submit like that if it feels it is going to be attacked/bullied/pecked.

 

[aart]

The creeper chicken is not a good photography subject lol. She is only near you when your back is turned. I was literally chasing her to get these. I have a separate breed ID thread that hopefully has a better quality shot.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-me-identify-these-girls.1219531/

 

[AllenK RGV]

Please tell me this is not a serious question....kind of off topic, other than it's kinda creepy. Apologies to @XanderWiFi for extending the topic diversion.

It is submissive. Active layers will often submit like that when the human keeper walks near, especially if there is no cock/erel present, but please don't mount them.

Some folks will give them a back pat or scratch, then the bird will stand up and shake her tail feathers to distribute the semen as she walks away-despite the fact that (hopefully) none was deposited, but I seriously doubt it is necessary to respond to a squatting chicken. I've always had a male in my flock so rarely have a pullet/hen squat near me.

A bird may also submit like that if it feels it is going to be attacked/bullied/pecked.

Thank you aart for the reply. I have been ignoring them when they do this and sorry to go off topic but it is a confusing behavior to observe for me being too new to chicken keeping. Yes I did get rid of all of my roos recently and have been seeing more of this behavior recently.

edit- I'm so happy you answered this because it is now first light I let them out and they exhibited this behaviour again just now!

 

[AllenK RGV]

Vader. She is and has always been one of our most neurotic and high strung chickens. I have no idea what breed she is, but she looks like a black minorca with the white ears but are not floppy. A bit of a greenish hue to her back feathers. Very pretty overall, but she is the creeper bird.

Her behavior has baffled me for some time. Even as a chick she never liked to be handled much. She is probably last in line and least excited to see us when we come out with scraps, scratch and food. The rest run up to the door, do their squats, get their butt scratches and move onto their snacks. Not Vader. She hangs back. Unless you turn your back.

I can guarantee, that if I am bent over, squatting down or generally turn my back to her in any way she will sneak up on me. Random peck on the backside? Vader. Nibble at the pant leg? Vader. Instinctively, I always look behind me now and there she will be, and I give her a little shoo because she always seems to be the one nipping at the "flecks" that line my clothing (more than the other girls do).

I wonder if there is any explanation for this creeping behavior. Why so standoffish when I face her but always right at my rear if my back is turned. More concerning, the other day I was scratching butts and she turned and pecked one of the girls in the head. I scolded and told her to be nice and gave a small "shoo" with my hand towards her. Instead of running away, she actually flapped up and put feet forward almost like a joust.

It almost seems like what I imagine rooster behavior to be, the sneaking. The jousting was a one time thing. I believe she is laying eggs and even when she is running away she will do a "confused squat" where she stops for a butt scratch but then remembers she wants to run for her life. I never really see her bullying other hens no more than the rest bully one another.

Anyone have any insight as to what this creeper bird is doing?

I would say you are right on though, every bird I didn't trust turned out wrong and eventually were removed from my flock. I tried learning from others and reading articles and modifying behavior. Nothing seemed to work for my problem chicken. Just keep that eye out and in my case it might have just been hormonal adolescents, regardless, they were removed once I no longer had trust in them.

editing in my final sentence- I'm not raising chicken to be concerned about their behavior.

 

[aart]

Yes I did get rid of all of my roos recently and have been seeing more of this behavior recently.

edit- I'm so happy you answered this because it is now first light I let them out and they exhibited this behaviour again just now!

They 'miss' their boys....will be interesting to see if they continue it.

 

[XanderWiFi]

Haha what did I put in this thread to earn two attempted hijackings?!

Brahma, I think you are right on with the Andalusian identification. Thank you.

Allen, do not mount your chickens. They will die and you will be arrested lol.