Laying, but not squatting

[CharcoalDragon]

Hello all,
Our chickens are all laying at this point, but at not squatting for us. I'm new to chickens and their behavior, but I've read that most chickens squat submissively for their human caretakers.
This is our first flock, we hand-raised them- but they are not as friendly and social as I would have liked them to be.
Should we be doing something differently so they squat for us?
Thoughts and suggestions welcome.
TIA

 

[black_cat]

Some just don't squat. My friend's birds don't, and haven't in their almost five years of laying. If you have a rooster around, they will be more likely to. Mine squat for me, which makes them easy to pick up, but it doesnt' change any of their other behavior and it is just luck.

 

[CharcoalDragon]

Some just don't squat. My friend's birds don't, and haven't in their almost five years of laying. If you have a rooster around, they will be more likely to. Mine squat for me, which makes them easy to pick up, but it doesnt' change any of their other behavior and it is just luck.

Yeah, no roo' by city ordinance. I had the most submissive girl squat for me once, but most of the time they just seem to want to play tag. I've been working with mealworms to teach recall, and they're slowly getting the hang of it.
One of the girls (second in command) half-heartedly pecked at me when I rested a hand on her back.

 

[black_cat]

Yeah, no roo' by city ordinance. I had the most submissive girl squat for me once, but most of the time they just seem to want to play tag. I've been working with mealworms to teach recall, and they're slowly getting the hang of it.
One of the girls (second in command) half-heartedly pecked at me when I rested a hand on her back.

I don't have a roo either, but got mine as adult birds so they started off scared of me, and now they just don't want to be picked up. I don't know if they had a roo before they were with me. One of mine knows the treat call, one is 3/4 of the way there, and two just don't get it lol

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can try to encourage squatting by regularly reaching for their backs to test for it (note that this may also set off a startle reflex especially in younger birds, so they may simply bolt as well). Some birds may not ever want to do it, but some of mine will immediately drop as soon as your hand closes in.