Why does my hen "tense up" when I go to pick it up?

[chixcoop]

So this morning I went to pick up my hen, but when I walked over to it, it kind of tensed up, and it moved its wings up a little and squatted in the dirt, as if it was bracing for impact. I think that is the same thing that it does when a rooster mounts it, but why is it doing it to me? I'm not mean at all to my hens, I do not chase them, and I talk to them nicely when I pick them up. I was walking towards it, and it tensed up at 3 feet away! It usually happens only when I put my hand on the hen. What is happening?

 

[MaeMom]

One of my girls does this too. She's the skittish one. But she tenses and squats down. It makes it easier for me to picker her up and hold her though. Once she's in my lap she relaxes and is very calm.

 

[chixcoop]

One of my girls does this too. She's the skittish one. But she tenses and squats down. It makes it easier for me to picker her up and hold her though. Once she's in my lap she relaxes and is very calm.

Yes, the hen that does that seems to be at the lower end of the pecking order. Is it bad, is it anything that I have done?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

She's treating you as the dominant head of flock. Without a cockbird all my hens sqauted for me. Made management easy but I now run cockerels and cocks so they won't squat for me anymore.

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

That is perfectly normal. A lot of my hens do it, and I've never mistreated them either. They are simply treating you as the dominant bird. It's the same thing the do when a rooster heads for them, and they're just submitting to you.
It's nothing you should worry about though, just perfectly normal hen behavior

 

[mmmyyykkkeee]

Your hens are sexually mature and you should be getting eggs very soon.

 

[chixcoop]

Your hens are sexually mature and you should be getting eggs very soon.

We have already got eggs! 3 in fact.

 

[chixcoop]

She's treating you as the dominant head of flock. Without a cockbird all my hens sqauted for me. Made management easy but I now run cockerels and cocks so they won't squat for me anymore.

Is a cockbird a rooster and a cockerel a hen?

 

[trailrider330]

Is a cockbird a rooster and a cockerel a hen?

A cockbird as a rooster (meaning mature male) and a cockerel is an immature male.

A pullet is an immature female while a hen would be a mature female.

 

[mmmyyykkkeee]

She's treating you as the dominant head of flock. Without a cockbird all my hens sqauted for me. Made management easy but I now run cockerels and cocks so they won't squat for me anymore.

Interesting! Now i know why my ladies no longer squat for me. They used to squat if I pick them up but when the cockerel started mating them, they squat for him. Thanks for sharing. I learn new things everyday.