I haven't done anything different, but in the past two weeks three of the nine (I think) have begun laying, and the rest of them crouch when I approach. One of the wildest Americanas, who two weeks ago I would have had to chase, has now begun approaching me and crouching and loving to be held. When I pick her up she doesn't struggle but snuggles in my arms. I haven't made any effort to tame them, but she suddenly seems to want to be a pet. The flock on the whole is much tamer and friendlier. Again, I'm not doing anything different, and don't really want chicken pets. Two weeks ago they'd run when I tried to pick them up and would flap and squawk when I did. I assume it must somehow be tied to their maturation, crouching, and egglaying. I'm just curious about this, will it last, etc?
Sounds like you have hens, and yes, the crouching is because they are mature - enough to be mated! They see you as their rooster - you come near, they crouch, you stroke their back, maybe push down a little, and they get up and shake. They feel they've been mated! Chicken behavior!
My chickens have just begun that this week! When I first got my baby chicks, months and months ago I watched a TON of youtube videos about anything chicken....There was a guy whos hens did that and he bent down to pet them and rub his hands around their tails. I noticed that when I do that, they LOVE IT! LOL! They like it a little rough! HAHAHA
