Squatting for a massage

[The Dobie Zoo]

Ok so I did just read that something about matting....which i have never owned a roaster so I haven't seen chicken matting only duck....which is very forced.

3 of my 4 chickens will freeze & squat down, wings sort of out when I feed or walk by and then allow me to give them a full body massage....and they seem to love it. Is this only matting and do most chickens do this and is it pleasurable for them and not in the human "dirty" sense.

Thanks

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

What they are doing is "squatting" to show that you are dominant.

They do it for a rooster if they like the rooster. But for people, they are bowing to you as the head of the flock. I like to say, "Good girdy" and scratch along side their backs.

 

[sourland]

It is a normal reaction of maturing hens - the desire to mate and produce fertile eggs. Nothing 'dirty' about it for birds, animals or humans - just normal.

 

[KrisH]

Eggs to follow soon. We say the girls simply want "servicing". We pet them then they walk off and fluff up and shake

RobertH

 

[jtbrown]

My production reds do it, sometimes, cannot walk through hen house with without giving them a little rub on the back one time. After that, they are fine. Just don't tell your non chicken friends, they will laugh!

 

[RedDrgn]

All five of our hens will do that to my DH and I. It makes them easy to catch.

I'll scratch them on their backs, back of their necks, and then usually grab their tails and fluff them up. They poof up huge and squeak and purr until I stop....until we get a rooster, it's the best I can do for them.

 

[donrae]

Well, I don't think if it as "dirty", cause I don't think sex or mating or reproduction is "dirty", but I also have no desire to mess with a squatting hen. That's what I have roosters for.