Question about Squatting?

[aoxa]

Can someone post a video or picture of a hen 'squatting' I'm not quite sure what this means, and google is coming up empty for me

My BR squats when I go to pick her up (this is new), but I'm not sure it means she's ready to lay. She's almost 6 months old, and still no eggs..

Also, when do they stop laying for the winter? Are we talking like January - February, or November - March?

Thanks for the help!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Squatting starts just before they lay,so you should have eggs soon. They just crunch down and kind of freeze. My chickens don't stop laying for the winter because I keep a light on for extra hours.

 

[Zinnia-Hen]

My hens, who are full grown, laying eggs, and what not, do the same exact thing when I come to pick them up. I think it's because they think you're a rooster or something...Then again, I could be wrong.

 

[Zinnia-Hen]

And as for the winter laying question, it seems to vary bird to bird. My big hens lay even in the dead of winter and my little ones don't start up again until some time during spring. Hope this helps.

 

[Mother_Hen2011]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MJN8mHG2hI

Here ya go hope this helps

 

[epeloquin]

I don't have a pic of any of my girls squatting but one of them is definitely doing it. One of my Rhodies began squatting a little over a week ago. Some will squat when you walk up to them, mine doesn't. She will squat when she is on her roost and one time she sat on my lap and did it. Plus, mine only does it when I scratch her back. In any case, she will go flat and cup her wings out to the side and put her neck down and arches her head back and usually closes her eyes. Sometimes after scratching her back she will frill all her feathers and shake herself. Some people just pat them. All in all, you will know it when you see it because you will not have seen it before.

What you've describes sounds like she's definitely squatting. Try scratching her back or patting her when she does that.

By the way, I have three BRs too, your looks like my Alice. She's pretty!

 

[krissteff]

The most defining thing when mine started to squat was that they hunch their wings and it gives the appearance of shoulder blades. They squat, and then stick out their wings and the top of the wings stick up. Mine do it as I'm walking up to the coop. They stop and drop. Then I give each one a little scratch between their "shoulder blades." It's my time to bond with them. hehehe.

 

[bakerjw]

Yep. You are now Mr. Roo! Mine also stomp their feet when they squat. IMHO it creates a good bond.

What is funny is that if I am in the run for any length of time I will invariably get one hen in dire need of attention who will follow me around and squat and stomp every time that I turn in her direction.

 

[aoxa]

Quote:
That's hilarious! Awww <3 That means she loves me, right? lol

She's the top hen, and just loves attention. She even jumps up to sit on my lap and ask for food.

She pecked my head yesterday when I was helping my silkie on the roost. I think she did it out of curiosity though

Hope she lays an egg for me soon! Thanks so much for all the replies! I'm relatively new to this, so any answers are greatly appreciated!

ETA: The guy in the picture is a friend, I'm a woman, XD

 

[epeloquin]

I agree with the curiosity thing. I watch my chickens and they definitely use their beaks to 'explore' their world. I think a lot of pecks we get are just curiousity.