[rachelr]

Hi i am sorry but i need to know the answer. I have an ex battery hen who was featherless and very puny when we got her. now she is almost fully feathered however still much smaller than my other hens.

The others all have very big combs and range from dark pink to red. All the others curtsey when you go to pick them up whether they are laying or not.

The question is could she still be a young hen treated wrong or do older hens stop curtseying. I dont mind that she does not lay its just she is looking so healthy but so petite against he others I was begining to wonder. could she maybe have fallen through the battery farmers net and still be a lot younger than the rest!

[joyfull]

not all birds curtsey 

[orchardlady]

I think that it is highly unlikely that she would have fallen through the net as usually (I understand) the whole flock is culled or re homed to lovely kind people like yourself, the sheds are then cleaned, disinfected and then restocked with new young pullets.

Your diminutive hen was probably one of the really lucky ones to have survived her younger days which will possibly make her all the more special to you.

I've never heard the term 'curtsey' used before but what an apt and beautiful description. Lovely.

I must say when my cockerel 'treads' a hen and she 'curtseys' once he gets off the hen always gives herself a thorough shake and fluffs her feathers as if to "Glad that's over." Cockerels may loo like Dandies but they certainly are not gentlemen

[evie2]

Curtsey, I like that Rachel

[GrannieAnnie]

Yes, sounds much better than some of the others expression I've heard!!!   

[rachelr]

oh well i will just have to wait and see but she is a real little lady and slowly coming out of her shell.

I think she is the prettiest little thing and dont really mind.