Does this hen think I'm a rooster?!

[eventmerlin]

Ok so I have 14 chickens.... didn't really handle the 9 I raised from babies much. So for the past 6 months they haven't been very friendly. Now they start laying and I have 2 Americanas that come up to me, squat down close to the ground, spread their wings and look up at me. I pet them on the back and stratch thier heads and they just look in ecstacy haha!!! Do they think I'm the head rooster or are they just friendly??? I definately DO NOT look like a rooster! I just bring them food and water, let them out to free range and collect eggs..... Now they're making me feel like I neglect them!

 

[DannyUpchurch]

I have a few of those myself and they are just friendly birds. Except my ee roo. He can have a additude from time to time.

 

[Stephanie-n-Hayden]

My silky has been doing that for a couple of months now. When I enter the yard, she runs over to me and squats down (if squatting is possible) and taps her feet on the ground. I bend down to pet her and she acts as if that is the best feeling ever. She does this for a couple of weeks, then she usually goes broody for a few days. Afterwards, she acts "normal" again, trying to avoid me when I enter. I think of it as being horny. She doesn't have a rooster with her anymore so she may just be missing the tender loving care of a man. Who knows. Birds are wierd sometimes.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
If there is no rooster in your flock then yes, you are their rooster. Like it or not, tailfeathers or not.

 

[mboreham1]

They all do it to my beagle as well, squat, spread the wings and stamp their feet, i thought it was teenage petulance, apparently its teenage "hornyness" None the less its hillarious. My booted bantam as feathers that stick out the side of her face, she just looks exasperated when the dog noses her and licks her when she squats!

 

[JakRat]

Quote:
If there is no rooster in your flock then yes, you are their rooster. Like it or not, tailfeathers or not.

LOL I LOVE IT!!! A few of mine do that and I just thought they were scared... geez they are such goofy creatures

 

[jwchicklady]

you are definitely the head rooster. a rooster leads the hens to food and points out the treats--you bring them the food and probably give them treats. The squat is them getting ready for the rooster to mount them and they being submissive to his advances.

 

[catfish/okie]

My older hens started doing this about a week before they started laying. I have 3 about 6 weeks younger. I got a roo about a month or so before they started laying and they never did this. In fact the roo didnt like them younger pullets until they started laying.