Squating?

[carladababe]

I seemed to have missed this section in my "How to," book. When I walk into the run or chicken tractor, one of my Delaware pullets ( always runs for the open door,) squats and stomps her feet. It looks like attitude, but is it squating? No roosters, just 17 week old pullets. They haven't started laying yet but half have that reddened comb and wattle.

 

[7L Farm]

Sounds like your fix in to get breakfast .

 

[carladababe]

Cool. Can't hardly wait.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Yup, start collecting egg recipes, they should begin laying soon. Sometimes they'll do it when you walk up to them, others will do it when you pet them on their backs.

I seem to notice this behavior in the young pullets, but rarely with the older hens that are laying. Of course those are usually kept busy with our roosters. But is this a behavior most often confined to young "unmarried" pullets? My only lonely guinea hen does this too even though she's about 5 years old. During her laying season she'll often squat in front of me when I walk up to her in the yard.

 

[Pele]

Squatting is a big sign of trust and respect in your hens. It means that they are acknowledging all the feeding, protection, and care that you are providing for them, and that it's led them to believe that you are their rooster (roosters perform all of those tasks as well).

Basically, your hen is getting into position so that you can *ahem* have access to them. You can actually really enhance their trust in you by giving them a friendly neck-scratch, or pat on the back when they do this. Also, and more importantly, they'll KEEP doing it when you get near, which makes life SOOOOOO much easier if you need to pick them up or catch them for something.

But above all, grats on getting eggs soon!

 

[ThinkingChickens]

When mine do this I give them a few pats and then they get up and shake off and go back to what they were doing. It's nice to be able to pet the girls after just being able to watch them for so long!