Janepie33 Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Yesterday and today I had 2 eggs from one or other of my new girls (they are only 16 weeks old!). The eggs are very different sizes, so I suspect one was from the 'ordinary' brown hen and the other was from one of the bantams. My question is.......... do bantams squat??!! The reason that I ask is that Honey (brown hen) has quite a small comb more red than pink but not bright red like my big girls yet she has been squatting madly at everything that moves for the past couple of weeks but Penny (the bantam) has quite a small comb and quite big wattles which are bright red but she has never squatted in her life! Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loumabel Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 I have six bantams and some of them squat and some don't. Blossom my little pekin squats if I get near to her and one of my light sussex Ethel does too but mostly the others don't. I think it just depends on the chicken really. Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janepie33 Posted August 3, 2011 Author Share Posted August 3, 2011 Thank you. That helps. I haven't had bantams before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Dixie squatted in front of me yesterday for the first time, nearly tripped me up too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 my chooks have never squatted..is this because I have 2 cockerels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer_chicken Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 How old are they Linda? They won't start squatting until they are getting ready to lay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 they are all laying..Dorkings (2 hens) are 2 years old..buff orps (hen and cock) a year and poland hen and cock 18 months (the hen went missing 2 weeks ago returned and now missing again)..maybe foxed, died or brooding we have searched but no sign) now have 3 araucana at 20 weeks.. one has turned out to be a boy so has to be returned to breeder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 My Wyandottes dont squat and never have Makes them so much harder to catch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Catch them?? no chance there is far to much garden and they free range all day! I just wait till mine go to bed..or get them before they wake up in the morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 I have a silkie cross appenzeller bantam and she has never squatted. Almost impossible to cAtch as well. I find that my hybrids squat the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kissinuk Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Doesn't the squat mean that, er, they are "presenting" themselves to you? Edit: just found this on the Omlet site, knew I'd read it somewhere! Sometimes your chicken may think that you are a cockerel and flatten themselves to the ground in anticipation of mating. This will actually make them easier to pick up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashjc Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I'm with you redwing, neither of mine squat and they have been laying for 2 months... I get no chance of picking them up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 My squats the first time in a day I go to catch her, and then if I leave it long enough between catching she will squat, but if I pick her up and she struggles and I go to pick her up again, she just bolts, no squatting. My has never squatted but is like a sack of potatoes and lets me pick her up, tip her upside down (for checking her legs), I've even craddled her like a baby whilst doing her checks - each hen is different! And my silkies are still too flighty to be handled without being half asleep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
