New chicken behavior...what's it mean?

[Dace]

My chickens should be just about laying age...19 weeks. On of them has started something new and odd... when I pet her she hunkers down and flares out her wings a bit. It seems to be a submissive behavior perhaps related to mating.
Could this be a sign that she is reaching maturity and will start to lay soon? Or does it mean that she is just getting fed up with me and is getting ready to let me have it?

 

[Wifezilla]

It seems to be a submissive behavior perhaps related to mating.

That's exactly what it is. This mean eggs can't be far away. Woohoo!!!

 

[BeccaOH]

I agree with Wife. One of my Golden Comets did the very same thing just a few days before the first eggs appeared in the pen. I used to scratch her back and sometimes pick her up. Named her Jezebel. She now lives with the main laying flock, but she'll still let me hold her, though only postures now for the roo.

 

[Dace]

Yay!!! That is what I was hoping!

 

[FarmerChick]

Stop petting her...she hunkers down and you are squishing the eggs inside of her!!!!!!!





they will come out scrambled





only kidding of course!

 

[big brown horse]

I love it when my chickens do that. We all know it is normal, but our guests dont, it is a great party trick isn't it!

Dace, congrads on almost getting that first egg!! They sometimes come out very small in the beginning. My girls used to take forever in the nest trying to lay the eggs too. Now they machine gun them out without much thought. <--I don't use that guy much, so I thought I'd throw him in...he's cute!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Now they machine gun them out without much thought.

So trying to picture this!!!

 

[punkin]

Congrats on being real close to that first egg.

I have 2 Black Australorpes that still do this when I come into the run. I always give them a good, firm petting and off they go quite pleased.

 

[Frosting]

Soon, fresh eggs!

 

[sylvie]

Mine did this about 2 weeks before first eggs. I know on BYC some say this doesn't indicate eggs soon but my experience says otherwise. I have 7 different breeds and they all followed the pattern with the larger girls displaying and laying later. Let us know!