4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Poached]

hi

 

 

i have heard people saying there chickens are crouching but what does this look like

i know you will laugh at this thread but if possible could you put a picture aswell

 

 

 

 

thanks alot

josh

[Chickvic]

I don't have a picture but they do kind of duck down, stick their wings out slightly and stamp their feet! Quite strange really Sometimes they do this as you approach and other times when you go to stroke them.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

It's been asked before .

 

I don't have a picture - tried once but you need to put your hand out above the chicken and taking a picture one-handed that close is not easy .

 

You really can't mistake it - elbows out, bum wiggle, hunched down to the ground . Just wait, you'll know it when you see it .

[moomin]

As ANH says you really can't miss it. It's a great and joyous time as it means the eggs are coming!!

 

 

(ANH I love your Christmassy photos, very festive )

[Ain't Nobody Here]

You're too kind !

[bluekarin]

Do they tend to do this crouching when you approach them or when they are out and about by themselves? This week my Daisy has been crouching down when I go to pick her up. She has laid one egg weeks ago so I am hoping we will have another soon.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

They only do when you approach them quickly or when you put your hand over their backs. Mine will only do it when I first go out, if I've been out a bit they just run away .

[Julia W]

I am not sure but I thought I read somewhere that this crouching was because they thought they were going to be mated. Mine do it if I go to stroke them. It does give me the opportunity to pick them up and cuddle them and have a little chat one to one so I'm glad this instinct is there whatever it means.

[Snowy]

I am not sure but I thought I read somewhere that this crouching was because they thought they were going to be mated. Mine do it if I go to stroke them. It does give me the opportunity to pick them up and cuddle them and have a little chat one to one so I'm glad this instinct is there whatever it means.

 

You are right, it is their mating posture. They will also do it for the dominant hen in the group, it is a sign of submission. Some do it more than others - Little Bo does it whenever you look at her, little floozy

[..lay a little egg for me]

Mine scarcely do it at all. Shame cos it makes them so much easier to pick up/stroke.

[PurpleTree]

Mine all crouch as soon as I approach the run, quite funny. Or when they all are all out, they have the tendency to crouch just as I'm trying to walk past them so I nearly trip over them I'm sure they think it's very funny.

 

As everyone else says, you can't miss it when they do start crouching.