Squatting

[SinseaChicken]

I have three chickens. Two Buff Orpingtons and one RIR. They are all the same age but the RIR is half the size of my other chickens. Whenever I try to stoke the BO's they normally don't do anything unusual but hen I try to stoke my RIR she kind of shrinks down or squats low to the ground. Why is she doing this?

 

[OkieChickenGal]

She's doing the "Egg squat" They do this right before they start laying eggs.

 

[PirateGirl]

This is a good sign that she is close to laying an egg!

It is a submissive behavior that chickens do once they reach maturity to be mounted by a rooster.

 

[IamRainey]

She's doing the "Egg squat" They do this right before they start laying eggs.

I call it the Flounder Flop. It's the only time my hens will let me touch them.

And, yup!, you're about to start getting eggs.

 

[chickens really]

Lol..She is submitting So eggs are close and she is waiting to be bred by the Rooster if you had one...

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I have three chickens. Two Buff Orpingtons and one RIR. They are all the same age but the RIR is half the size of my other chickens. Whenever I try to stoke the BO's they normally don't do anything unusual but hen I try to stoke my RIR she kind of shrinks down or squats low to the ground. Why is she doing this?

Most of my chickens do this

 

[trista85]

My girls do this too, I never connected the dots about a rooster (maybe because I don't have one? IDK), but it does make them easier to pick up.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can encourage the squat if you want (since it does make them easy to grab), by rubbing their backs just above the tail. If you get 'em right they'll raise their tail and then fluff out afterwards.

Of course this also means you'll constantly have hens stutter stopping in front of you expectantly, leading to the occasional hen getting punted like a football.

 

[trista85]

You can encourage the squat if you want (since it does make them easy to grab), by rubbing their backs just above the tail. If you get 'em right they'll raise their tail and then fluff out afterwards.

Of course this also means you'll constantly have hens stutter stopping in front of you expectantly, leading to the occasional hen getting punted like a football.

Yes! They LOVE the “bum scratches” hahaha

 

[aart]

but it does make them easier to pick up.

About lost my mouthful of coffee here!
SO true but....

Of course this also means you'll constantly have hens stutter stopping in front of you expectantly,

This can be a real PITA.