Squatting at 14 weeks?

[heatherlaw]

I have 7 hens all 14 weeks old tomorrow. There are 2 Blue laces red wyandottes, 2 olive eggers, 2 blue copper Marans & 1 crested cream legbar. I noticed yesterday that the olive eggers. One Marans and the legbar all are getting red combs. Today one of the olive eggers squared for me. Is this normal? They are so young but seem to be in quite a hurry to lay

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Squatting is a sign of submission, it doesn't always have to do with mating, though if their combs are starting to redden then they are reaching sexual maturity, it does take a few weeks for the combs to start to enlarge, I would say your girls are normal and would expect to see them start laying in the next month or two.

 

[heatherlaw]

That makes sense. She had me so confused. I've only had chickens since March and only one is old enough to lay but she laid her first egg less than a week after squatting. I had expected my younger girls to lay beginning of November but chickens don't always follow the "usual". My laying girl is a silkie who lays every day and started at just 4 months old

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Wow that's young, that's why I use the term usually a lot. Every chicken is different and they seem to be laying younger and younger.

 

[heatherlaw]

She really surprised me because I heard lots of people says silkies take forever to start and once they do, don't count on very many eggs. She's determined to defy the stereotype. Her name is Jane but I call her momma Jane because she's head hen and has "adopted" all the other girls. She's half their size but God forbid one should forget who's in charge. I watched her chase a rooster around who decided to steal her treat. He lost tail feathers and his pride over that. She's nicer to the girls but is still firm on keeping her place.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's good, usually silkies get picked on, you obviously have an exceptional one.

 

[heatherlaw]

I had heard that before I got chickens so I got my silkie first and the rest 3 months later in hopes that she would land on top of the pecking order. She did and has been mom to the whole bunch ever since they were introduced