Petting there back to see if they squat...what does this do?*pic added

[newchickmom09]

This morning I was reading a post I can't remember which one now. But the post said they went out and put there hand on the hens back and if she squatted down then she was close to laying an egg. Well of course after I read this I threw on my slippers and ran out to the coop and started petting everyones back. My hens are 22 weeks old now and still no eggs so this really excited me to see what happened. Well the only one that squatted when I pet there back was my BA. I have 2 BA and they were developing at the same rate but this ones comb and wattles recently have get a little bigger then the others. My other BA, SLW, and GLW all just stood there like they wanted to ask what I was doing. All three of my EE acted like I was going to kill them but they have always been skitish.

So what/why does it mean if they squat?

 

[chicken nanny]

if they swat it means they r getting ready to lay soon, mine all did this about a week befor and there combs and wattle gets real red

 

[RM44]

I have had hens that were laying but didn't do the squat before they laid. However I would say the squat is associated with laying, and any hens I had that did do the squat were either laying or very close to laying. My guess is that it won't be long now, but could be up to a week or 2, especially since the days are short.

Are you using supplemental lighting? Where are you located?

 

[newchickmom09]

RM 44~ No I don't use extra lighting. Here is southern AZ we are at a nice 60F and sunny.

 

[Kittymomma]

They squat in preperation to accept the rooster so squatting is a sign of approaching maturity and starting to lay. Not all of mine squatted before starting to lay and the ones that did generally started a couple of weeks before they gave me eggs. The comb and wattles starting to get red instead of pink is a very good sign too and I think a bit more reliable then the squat.

Good thoughts for eggs coming soon.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Yours are going to wait until you build their new house.

Did you guys ever make a decision on the wallpaper for the nesting area?

 

[newchickmom09]

Quote:
OK I see now. I don't know why I didn't put two and two together.

That makes sence.

for eggs soon

 

[imtc]

IMO...they are just showing submission.
It's also the same behavior they show to rooters when allowing to be bred which would explain them being close to egg laying age (puberty setting in)
Only my hens that I've raised from chicks do that with me and I handled them a lot from the day I got them. My older ones that I got that were already laying or close to laying are not tame like that for me since they were never used to being handled before...they will not squat to submit to me however do lay eggs.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
I agree with with the submission thing. Of my five young girls, not quite 17 weeks yet, three of them have been squatting when I pet them since they were just two months old or so. They still do. The other two not so much (well...one usually avoids my touch at all unless it has a treat in it...lol). I figure that means they'll be more submissive with a rooster too, if I decide to get one....but maybe I'm wrong.

ETA: They aren't laying now and they for sure weren't ready to lay then...lol.

 

[cointoss]

I have two that always squat, one that does sometimes, and one I can't get near enough to see, lol. The ones that squat are not the most submissive in my flock, but they are the least skittish. They are also the two that lay eggs every day. They other two are not so reliable. Though I am sure that the squatting can be a sign of submissiveness, I believe it also has more to do with their hormones, thus their brooding and possibly even their mothering capabilities. My mother breeds dogs, and the ones that are happy to "present" (the dog equivalent of squatting) have also been the ones that made the best moms, both from a fertility standpoint (always producing lots of healthy puppies) and as pertained to their willingness to nurture their babies for longer periods of time, nursing, teaching, etc. The dogs that don't present as often, or who dislike it altogether, have made worse moms, or sometimes not conceived at all (even after multiple Artificial Insemination...)
Just some ideas...