Mounting question

[chris]

Bit of an odd one here - but in my next post you'll probably see why it happened

I was trying to grab one of my chickens last night, missed her slightly and just brushed her tail feathers. She squatted down, flat back, opened her wings, tail in air and fluffed her neck feathers up.

Is that mating/mounting behaviour?

Is that then, an indication of comign into lay/poss going broody (she's not laying yet).

TIA!

[Nicos]

YES!!!!!!...wooopy doooo!!!...let us know when her first egg arrives!!!

[chris]

cool

I thought my luck was in, but I'll take an egg instead!

[Nicos]

Urmm..have you picked her up and had a fiddle around her nether regions??

I'tried this the other day with my 28 wk Marans who is showing no signs of laying apart from beautifully red flesh....

May have been RH who mentioned this - but beneath the tail you can feel 2 hard bumps of bone about 1 1/2" apart(ish)
If you compare her distance one a chook of a similar size which is laying and it's the same, then an egg will be on it's way soon.

My bantams in lay have the same disance as Petal- so i know there's nothing about to happen from her cos she's about 4 times their size.

[chris]

I tried to have a feel last night yes, but I'm not sure where to feel? Between her legs - I can feel what I believe is the breast bone.. I didn't go around her backside though, may do tonight.

None of mine are laying yet, and in all honesty I'm not expecting any until spring (despite them being 19/20 weeks odd now?) - if I think like that, I won't be dissapointed

[Nicos]

You'll know if she goes broody cos she'll squalk at you as soon as you go near her ( you'll think she's laying to start with) , fluff up and peck at you., and refuse to get out of the nesting box!!..aww..you've got all the fun of this to come!!..(tis a lovely journey isn't it???)

[Nicos]

I'm expecting Spring with Petal too...but I'm desperate for my first dark chocolate brown , normal sized egg!!

If none of you others are laying, then that one would feel wider than the other gals if she's about to lay.
the bones are near the vent- either side- about the size of a jumbo pea

[chris]

I'll have a poke around tonight and report back then

[Nicos]

..make sure no-one is watching you!!!

[Suechooks]

I'll have a poke around tonight and report back then

The bones you're feeling for are situated below the vent probably about level with the top of her legs. (They're pelvic bones) The gap is about 2-3 fingers wide when they're about to come into lay depending on the width of your fingers of course!

[chris]

Just tried to grab her and she did the same thing twice, but this time I think I saw what were her female bits pulsating in and out?

Didn't want to go feeling any more incase I touched her in the wrong place (eek!)

Picked another up - I think I felt them, but im not sure - I could get two fingers between with a bit of space, on my light sussex couldn't find em - and she hates being handled so just left her to it!

[Nicos]

wimp!!!!

[chris]

Nah, I'm just a married man!

[Snadger]

Its handy when they squat............cos you can catch em easier if they escape!
Thats the downside of letting the flock run with a cockerel.............they don't see me as a suitor any more (can't imagine why?) when he's about, so don't squat for me and are a bugger to catch!

[chris]

lol I was always told size doesn't matter - hens are fickle?