Have your chickens started to squat yet?

[chickenlickin8]

Hmm I didn't know that! I hope they do though, then i'll hopefully know a little better when theyll lay! Im just hoping they don't lay this week because they're at the fair all week (4H) and I'll miss their first eggs! Sigh....

They haven't squatted yet so hopefully they won't lay until after the fair.

 

[Camouflage]

if you don’t have a rooster hens will squat down for the one they consider alpha which will be you or whoever takes care of them daily. They become submissive to you without a rooster, that’s how they squat when a rooster climbs them.

 

[kurby22]

Mine squat every time they see me now...so funny! If you haven't seen what "The Squat" looks like, here's what you'll see. Usually, eggs will soon follow......fingers crossed

Mine started laying about 2 weeks after they started squatting.






Hope this helps

Thank you! This is really helpful! I’ve always wondered how this squat was different from anytime I try to pet them and they squat towards the ground to sort of “avoid” being pet. Haha, this does look different! Do they also sort of tip their butt upwards when you pet their backs? My little Silkie is doing this the last few days!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Blue does that! Sometimes (rarely) Pippin as well.
Blue just started laying, whilst Pippin is over a year old. I usually give them a little back massage.
It makes them much easier to catch!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

if you don’t have a rooster hens will squat down for the one they consider alpha which will be you or whoever takes care of them daily. They become submissive to you without a rooster, that’s how they squat when a rooster climbs them.

That makes sense!
Blue started laying while the rooster was still around, so she didn't squat before. But now he's been rehomed, she's squatting all the time!

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Are my expectations too high for my 21 week old gals?

 

[kurby22]

Are my expectations too high for my 21 week old gals?

Depends on the breed and where you got them I’ve learned! My GLW is almost 7 months and STILL no eggs. My silkies seem close and they’re about 7.5 months old. I’ve heard that hatchery stock lay sooner, and the production breeds lay lots sooner. But I wouldn’t know because my chickens are SLOOOOW freeloading birds The GLW has finally almost got a red face and some comb…so I think she’s close!

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

I got mine at my pet chicken hatched on May 16th. I haven't noticed any squatting, but I just saw a photo of how they do it. 3 are Marans and one is a Penciled Plymouth Rock. I don't know if I dreamt it, but swear I read 16 weeks. I a first time mom.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Hang in there...they should start squatting anytime.....

Keep us posted

My LB didn't squat until she was almost a year old, six months after she started laying, so sometimes they just surprise ya and start laying

 

[kurby22]

I got mine at my pet chicken hatched on May 16th. I haven't noticed any squatting, but I just saw a photo of how they do it. 3 are Marans and one is a Penciled Plymouth Rock. I don't know if I dreamt it, but swear I read 16 weeks. I a first time mom.

I am a first time mom too! I have read that egg laying can happen as early as 16 weeks, but I think that is very much focused on the production breeds haha. I bet yours are close though! I learned how to check their pelvic bones as a way to test how close they are. There are two pointy ended bones immediately beneath the vent...if you can fit two to three fingers in between those two pointy bones, then they are really close! The breeds you got should lay soon-er than mine...I read Wyandottes are slow to mature and so are silkies...but Marans and BRs seem to be faster to mature! I bet you see pretty eggs soon!