Hens squatting for me?

[AllenInTampa]

I've had my hens now about 2 months(7 of them, varying from 8-12 months old/all laying). I have rarely been able to touch them. When I feed them, clean coop and run, or give treats I try to pet them, they just putt and run away. A few days ago, one or two of them started squatting when I walk in the pen and let me pet them. Now pretty much all of them will squat and allow me to pet them. Matter of fact, a couple walk up to me and squat.

I am the primary caretaker of the hens so I am the person they see 99.9% of the time. Is this normal behavior for them to do this for their "master"?

 

[AnimalLady123]

None of mine do that to ANYONE!!

 

[Den in Penn]

You've been elevated in the pecking order to head rooster. It happens.

 

[sourland]

Spring is arriving, hormones are raging, and you are the object of their desire.

 

[The Red Rooster]

Hens do that when they want to mate. If you don't have a rooster, the hens will start squatting when you come around them. Hens will also squat during mating.

~AnnElise

 

[gryeyes]

This is submissive behavior, which they would do for their rooster so he could mount them.

Don't you feel special?

I give my girls who squat a quick skritch between their shoulder blades, another at the base of their tail feathers, then a pat in the middle of their backs, saying "Good girl!"

They will then stand up and shake their feathers, which is an instinctual response and a behavior which moves the rooster's sperm up into thier bodies. I prefer to think they're just trying to get rid of the "bed feathers" look.

 

[Captain Awesome]

My Golden Comets will do that sometimes also. I usually see it when I'm stepping around them really closely. I thought they were just flinching and not wanting to be stepped on by the much larger creature!

 

[AllenInTampa]

Thanks, I think....I was afraid that yall would tell me my chickens were hot to trot for me

 

[gryeyes]

Thanks, I think....I was afraid that yall would tell me my chickens were hot to trot for me

but isn't it nice to be right?

 

[JenellYB]

Lol! I've always just thought that was normal chicken behavior, mine have always done that! I've always though it good since all I'd have to do if i wanted to pick a certain one up was kinda home in on her and she'd do that, making it easy to pick her up. Now i find out its just because they think I'm the dominant rooster????

Actually that just came up in Beekissed's 'Old Timers wisdom" thread, as maybe not so good to encourage since it could make them vulnerable to predator attack.