[uba]

Hello all,

Our lf orpy hen is doing this funny little move when i go in the run to feed or do some cleaning, I give both girls a little attention either pick them up for a cuddle or if I'm in a hurry just a petting on the head. When I pet her head she squats down and paddles her feet alternately on the ground, her back goes flat and her head goes down. She lives in our run with one other hen, both birds we raised from week olds starting last may, they are yet to lay eggs, both eating normally, up to date wormed and generally in good health.

 Whats the little dance about?

[joyfull]

thats the mating stance - she sees you as the cockerel and is hunkering down ready for you. It also means she will be laying very soon  . perfectly normal.

[uba]

Thanks for the reply, thats really exciting news!

After waiting nearly a year for our first egg it will be a very welcome sight :-)

[rachelr]

i love it when they do this. I call it curtseying. lol and usually within another week or so you will have your own eggs
good luck

[Rita]

hi mine do this when they want me to pick them up, she flattens her body down and shakes her wings and waits until i pick her up.

[Big Bird]

Its not to be picked up she's waiting for..!!!!!!

BB

[jinty1911]

If mine are laying I only need to talk to them out of dining room window and they curtsey.  It's so funny   
Jinty

[gibbo]

I have four hens about 30wks of age, two legbars and two wellsummers.  Lilly my legbar started laying just a week ago but still has no intention of squating down for me! I think this is due to their flighty nature and not wanting to be caught!! However one of my wellsummers, margo, squated today for the first time so im hoping she is going to lay soon as i have learnt this is one of the first signs.  If nothing else it certainly makes it easyer to catch them!!!

[uba]

Well its been a week or so now and she is laying an egg everyday bless her heart. Still doing the little 'curtsey' ( I have adopted this name for it as it sounds very ladylike for my lovely girls ). My thoughts are now turning to the other half of my flock, a bantam orpy called lacey, no signs of an egg or any of the afore mentioned sexual behaviour.
       Also no crowing so i dont think its a boy, although the lady I got my hens from mentioned during chats that in the absence of a male, one hen may adopt the male role in character and even some physical traits.
      So could it be that she just won't lay? If she doesn't and I look to replace her with a layer, would that new bird then look to take a male role and not lay also?

cheers all

Nige

[hillfooter]

So could it be that she just won't lay? If she doesn't and I look to replace her with a layer, would that new bird then look to take a male role and not lay also?

cheers all

Nige

Don't expect them to start in synchronism she will lay just give her time.  It's pretty rare for a hen to change sex though it can happen but usually to older hens and sometimes as a result of ovary damage or when they stop laying. 

Obviously your hens think you are the cockerel but don't get carried away with your new role or you could end up in trouble .
HF

[gibbo]

Margo, my wellsummer who i said had started squating has now layed her first two eggs!  I still have two more hens to start laying! ill let you know if they start soon.

[uba]

Tell Margo well done from me I will keep an eye on posts for your others starting Gibbo

[ali2]

We've waited for a good 6 months for our two Wyandottes ( thought they were about 18 weeks when we bought them home) to start laying and they both started withing a few days of each other this last week ...however one lays in the nesting box and the other prefers to go under the coop,right at the back up in a corner to lay hers which makes it quite a feat to collect !  One of our older ones though insisted on laying her egg in our garage every morning when she first started but must have got to the stage where she couldn't be bothered to walk the length of the garden and eventually laid in the nesting box !   Aren't they funny? !

[rachelr]

sorry just had to say I have two beautiful hen coops they sleep in one and lay in the other!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eleven hens in a coop big enough for 5 is a bit of a joke but who am i to change things. I tried but they were having none of it.

[hillfooter]

sorry just had to say I have two beautiful hen coops they sleep in one and lay in the other!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eleven hens in a coop big enough for 5 is a bit of a joke but who am i to change things. I tried but they were having none of it.

Actually they like to huddle up on these cold nights and they only need about 150 - 200mm or so of roost space.  I often have had 12 birds roosted in a 1 metre square space no problem.
HF