Depressed chicken

[MelbaQ]

Oops i meant black sex-link. Thanks for the response. Squatting means submission and yes- the end game would b the rooster, and yes ive seen that chickens Are much happier w roosters but i live in city limits- illegal. But i find they will also squat if they want to b petted and its a way of bonded w thier human. Too bad i cant get a rooster. Shed b so happy then

 

[EggSighted4Life]

What is a sexton?

She is squatting because she wants to be bred----she is lonely for a mate!!

I actually don't think that's true...

I have a flock of 50-ish including cockerels. Girls squat yes, when they are mature enough to be mated. But also as a sign of submission. Some will and some won't. Depends on the hen. But NO WAY in m y flock are they squatting because they are lonely for a mate! My hens are perfectly happy if the boys are all locked up. It is more like a natural response similar to a jerk reaction when someone raises their hand to hit you.

They even squat when another hen is going after them.

Everybody has different experiences and mine just doesn't line up with your claim. No attack meant.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Oops i meant black sex-link. Thanks for the response. Squatting means submission and yes- the end game would b the rooster, and yes ive seen that chickens Are much happier w roosters but i live in city limits- illegal. But i find they will also squat if they want to b petted and its a way of bonded w thier human. Too bad i cant get a rooster. Shed b so happy then

Sorry to disagree about a boy...

My hens are happier without the boys constantly harassing them. Mine don't squat BECAUSE they WANT to be petted. It's because they KNOW they are going to be pet even if they don't want to.

My sons GF parents have red sex links... and they can just point at a hen and she will squat.

Silly chickens!

It usually takes many months before my sub flocks become a flock.

Anyways, hope she does better!

 

[aart]

Squatting might mean ready to be mated....or it can mean submitting to a superior...
......it has nothing to do with wanting to be 'petted', are 'lonely', or any other anthropomorphic human projection.

 

[MelbaQ]

black sex-link ( sorry about that) and the pullets are now 4 months old and they all have access to the same areas now.

 

[MelbaQ]

I guess it depends on the situation regarding roosters. I use to have a ranch so I had chickens then, and roosters- but was too busy to pay attention to the details Im noticing now. However I did notice some things and an example here was at first I got only chickens- I had about 8. the day I introduced the Rooster ( Clovis) those chickens got very excited and soon they crowded him where ever he went. IN the evening, on the perch, they all snuggled up to him. Then he decided to quit coming in at night and preferred to sleep in the trees. and it seemed to me ,chickens got very disoriented and unhappy about this. Whereas some people may think I being anthropomorphic- it was my experience, after 14 years raising horses, cattle, goats, chickens etc....that animals have a very complex emotional life- very much akin to our own. They get lonely depressed, sad, form friendships, they might even recognize beauty- my bull preferred the prettiest cow- a spotted longhorn named Cleopatra- I had multicolored longhorns and they al got serviced equally but he walked proudly w Cleo.
Never the less, others I still don't know what to do about my chicken. I think she is lonely and kind of depressed and don't know why she's not laying yet. : (

 

[MelbaQ]

Spring she should be laying.

 

[MelbaQ]

good advice. Thank you and yes, Ill ck her health, though she lookks good- but now I see she's not eating her laying mash- I think she's filled up on worms. That might be part of it.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Do you think she is hiding a nest?

 

[MelbaQ]

thank you.