Hen Strange Moment! Help

[ANiceKaren]

Hi friends! I have a newly laying Lavendar Orpington who just now came out of the run this morning to free range. When she got outside she did the strangest thing?! She “froze” so to speak with head down towards group and tail up, wings out. I thought she was dead when I touched her! I pet her and tried to pick her up but when I did she stopped and seems totally fine otherwise! She is laying well.. eating and drinking and comb is a beautiful red! I am so confused… is this a squat …? She was doing it before I came to her…is it a broody thing? Here she is right now.. didn’t get a pic earlier! Sorry! Any help appreciated! Also after wards she floofed feathers and shook…? Seizure? I’m worried but she seems so fine otherwise.

 

[azygous]

Were you hovering over her, possibly reaching out to touch her when this occurred? It's a squat, if those were the circumstances. New layers are quite often very zealous in squatting at the slightest provocation.

 

[Hannahnic14]

I have a particular pullet that squats when you just walk past her! Perfectly normal behavior! Although it can be quite startling for a first timer!

 

[6BeachChicks]

Were you hovering over her, possibly reaching out to touch her when this occurred? It's a squat, if those were the circumstances. New layers are quite often very zealous in squatting at the slightest provocation.

Totally right azygous. Mine squatted all the time! I just give them a pet on the back, and then they fluff their feathers, and walk away totally fine.

 

[ANiceKaren]

Were you hovering over her, possibly reaching out to touch her when this occurred? It's a squat, if those were the circumstances. New layers are quite often very zealous in squatting at the slightest provocation.

Hi! Thanks for the reply! I actually wasn’t over her initially. I let them out of run which is always an exciting time! I noticed her like that then went over to her. Then starting petting her to see if she was ok. After about 20 seconds she got up and ate and ran around looking for bugs. I too thought maybe a submissive thing.. new layer and lots of boron ones I assume. She looked as if she was looking for a rooster which I don’t have

Were you hovering over her, possibly reaching out to touch her when this occurred? It's a squat, if those were the circumstances. New layers are quite often very zealous in squatting at the slightest provocation.

 

[6BeachChicks]

She’s a cute little hen btw

 

[ANiceKaren]

Totally right azygous. Mine squatted all the time! I just give them a pet on the back, and then they fluff their feathers, and walk away totally fine.

She’s a cute little hen btw

Thank you! She is such a pretty girl! She did shake and floof when done! Just scared me with her head down to ground like that! My other squatters don’t usually do that!

 

[ANiceKaren]

I have a particular pullet that squats when you just walk past her! Perfectly normal behavior! Although it can be quite startling for a first timer!

I did walk past her!!

 

[6BeachChicks]

Thank you! She is such a pretty girl! She did shake and floof when done! Just scared me with her head down to ground like that! My other squatters don’t usually do that!

I think of it as a chicken version of a hug! She really likes you. Some of my hens do the head down, some don’t.

 

[ANiceKaren]

I think of it as a chicken version of a hug! She really likes you. Some of my hens do the head down, some don’t.

Awwww well I feel much better now!