Squating hens-are they going to lay soon?

[rebecca10782]

For the last week or so, two of our 6 month old hens are squating and holding their wings out when we pet them on their backs. It took me awhile to figure out what in the world they were doing. I thought they were in attack mode!

Then when they started wiggling their butts, I figured it out

EWW I keep asking them, "Do I look like a rooster???" Do they start laying soon after they begin doing this? Oh and one of the two that have been doing this has been walking around letting out this horrific sound, it's kind of a yell like "Ra Raaaaa, Ra Raaaaaaa" Could this be related or is this dominace.

 

[jhm47]

They will soon be laying eggs! The "singing" that the hen is doing will be repeated over and over after she lays her eggs. Some hens sing a lot more than others. Enjoy your soon to be produced eggs!

 

[rebecca10782]

That's singing??? This was last evening though, when she was making this noise. I thought that because it was at night, mabye it was just hormones

Do they sing the egg song at other times too?

 

[vfem]

Sounds like laying time is coming!!!!

 

[rebecca10782]

This is my first experience and I actually thought she was going to lay an egg when she started squatting, I was so excited

Why do they mistake people for roosters? Now I only pet them on the chest so I don't get them all excited

I wish we could have a rooster, I was thinking of getting a bantam rooster that doesn't crow loudly, but I don't know if he would be able to mate with larger hens

I am going to lose my mind waiting for my first egg! And they free range in the daytime, so I am afraid we are going to have to start looking under bushes and things

I hope we have at least one broody hen so we can put some fertile eggs under her. I want more babies! They are just to precious

 

[digitS']

Rebecca1, the pullets must be aware of the changes going on within their bodies. When confronted by a dominant critter with unknown intentions, their previous response was to flee. All of their new weight that they have gained over a few months makes that more difficult. They hunker down, run in place and hope they don't get hurt and can maintain some dignity.

Their ovaries are filling with ova - yolks. The oviduct has enlarged to catch these as they fall and process them into eggs. When that begins to happen, it must be not only a new experience but a distressing one for the bird. She will complain a bit about it and even seem quite frightened as the actual laying time comes near.

You can expect all this. A new layer will be a new experience for the other pullets and they will be both a comfort and another source of confusion in the coop. Your task will be to keep things as comfortable as possible over the next few days. Put your midwife's apron on

. These first birds will probably have the most difficult time of it. Laying obviously is a fairly exhausting job.

You can help them learn that the nest is a comforting place to be by placing them in there now and then thru the day. Keep any other critters way from them and everything at a low-key. And as the first layers learn the routine, they will help the other pullets learn where they need to be and what they need to do.

Steve

 

[rebecca10782]

I noticed that! There back ends got huge all of the sudden

I know, I have always felt bad for birds having to lay every day! It's terrible

Poor things. I am a very good midwife though, I had a cat growing up that my mom breed a few times a year. She would go into labor, come to my room and scratch on the door and meow and meow and meow. So, when she found me, she would lead me to her nest and settle down and purr. If I even stood up and walked a foot away, she would jump out of the nest and follow me. It was so sweet. So I would sit their for the next few hours as she gave birth, and hold her paw

I would help her stimulate the kittens and clean them off, she seem to really appreciate the help

 

[farmergal]

I'm just going through the same thing you are. I especially felt horrible when my first layer (Hope, an EE who survived a fox attack/bite as a chick) was SO loud it scared everybody else out of the coop! Boy did she complain! I made sure to pet her and give her treats, and now she lays me a (tiny) blue egg almost every day. I think today was her 8th egg, and yes, she announced it to the whole world this morning as usual.

It helps to physically place them in the nest, if they're calm enough to catch. They kind of go "OH! Thank goodness I found this." The nest that I first put Hope in (she wasn't squatting or making noise at first, but I noticed her freaking out inside the coop... looking in corners, scratching around for a nice place to lay) is the nest she's laid in ever since.

Good luck with your midwifery!!!

 

[rebecca10782]

Quote:

I know! My birds will freak when I sneaze! They all freeze in their position. When they were week old babies and in their brooder, one ended up in the water bowl

She was so terrified of my sneeze she hadn't realized she had jumped in there! I had to pick her up and dry her off. They would just stay in their freeze mode until I talked to them and then they realized that they wern't under attack. I have really loud sneazes