Squatting?

[airmechreed]

Ok I see people say that there chickens are squatting. Exactly what is everyone refering to? Sorry new to this and not sure what it means. My leghorns are laying and have been for two weeks now but nothing from my buff orphingtons and they are all about the same age of twenty weeks. My EE is about sixteen weeks so I am not expecting her to lay, but what is squatting and how do you know if your chickens are doing it?

 

[gryeyes]

First, your BO pullet may take a bit longer to mature than your leghorns, which are a true layer breed. Buff orpingtons are dual purpose, eggs and meat, and they take a bit longer to begin to lay.

As for squatting, that's what a hen does to allow a rooster to mount her. So, when a hen squats for a person, she is showing submission to her human; you are dominant over her.

The squat itself is when the pullet crouches down, tucks her head, and holds her wings slightly away from her body. Some hens will also stamp their feet at the same time, but not all do that. Not all hens or pullets will squat for people, either.

When my hens squat for me, I give a little skritch at the base of her neck by the shoulder blades, another little skritch at the base of her tail feathers, then a soft pat to the middle of her back, telling her "Good girl!"

They generally stand up after a few seconds and shake their feathers, as they would do after a rooster dismounts. (This motion is instinctive and moves the rooster's sperm up into her body.). I prefer to think she's just rearranging her attire so she doesn't look like she's got "bed feathers."

 

[Happy Chooks]

When they squat, they will hunker down and their wings will go out a bit. It is a sign that they are sexually mature and submitting to the rooster. (you) And since eggs come after sexual maturity - it's a good sign eggs are close.

 

[DelilahJones]

gryeyes - I do the same neck tail thing that you do except I tell them I want some eggs....

 

[ThinkingChickens]

This is the egg squat (sorry I couldn't capture my BR doing it). Notice the wings spread, the crouched body positioning, the lowered head. Though you can't see it she's stamping her feet too.


Egg squat by Raven Wren Designs, on Flickr

 

[airmechreed]

Thanks to all for the info.

 

[ScottLovelandCO]

Bed feathers.... haha.. CLASSIC!!!!!!

They generally stand up after a few seconds and shake their feathers, as they would do after a rooster dismounts. (This motion is instinctive and moves the rooster's sperm up into her body.). I prefer to think she's just rearranging her attire so she doesn't look like she's got "bed feathers."

 

[n8ivetxn]

I've seen a couple of my hens just run up to the roo and squat

It was funny! Usually they're running away, squawking! I have one pullet, my "special needs" chicken, sometimes she squats when I come out to the pasture or coop...

 

[chardob]

All of my hens squat to me when I approach them. Does that mean they're all "special needs"?

 

[audra72]

First, your BO pullet may take a bit longer to mature than your leghorns, which are a true layer breed.  Buff orpingtons are dual purpose, eggs and meat, and they take a bit longer to begin to lay.


As for squatting, that's what a hen does to allow a rooster to mount her.  So, when a hen squats for a person, she is showing submission to her human; you are dominant over her.


The squat itself is when the pullet crouches down, tucks her head, and holds her wings slightly away from her body.  Some hens will also stamp their feet at the same time, but not all do that.  Not all hens or pullets will squat for people, either.


When my hens squat for me, I give a little skritch at the base of her neck by the shoulder blades, another little skritch at the base of her tail feathers, then a soft pat to the middle of her back, telling her "Good girl!"


They generally stand up after a few seconds and shake their feathers, as they would do after a rooster dismounts.  (This motion is instinctive and moves the rooster's sperm up into her body.).  I prefer to think she's just rearranging her attire so she doesn't look like she's got "bed feathers."  /img/smilies/wink.png

"Bed feathers"....too funny!