There is a specific moment every chicken owner knows. You reach down, hand extended, and your feathered friend immediately drops into a crouch, wings slightly out, a soft little rumble coming from their chest. And you think, "Why do you do this? Are you happy? Are you scared? Are you plotting something?" The Reddit post from user SnooCheesecakes1067 asking the exact same question is the most relatable thing I've seen all week. It's the classic "why do my chickens do this when I pet them?" moment. The truth is, they're not plotting. They're offering you a compliment, and honestly, it's the most flattering thing a tiny dinosaur can do for you. It means they trust you enough to let you be the boss, even if it looks like they're preparing for a very intense squat workout.
This is the beautiful, confusing reality of keeping chickens. One minute they're pecking your shoelaces, the next they're doing the "submissive squat," which sounds like a kink but is actually just their way of saying, "You are the big chicken here, I defer to your almighty power." It's a sign of ultimate respect, and it's a far cry from the chaos of catching a rogue hen who has zero interest in being caught. You know the drill. It's a game of fowl hide-and-seek that always ends with you flailing in the dirt. But moments like this, the quiet ones, make up for the chaos. They remind us why we deal with the endless supply of poop and the constant eggspectations. It's the same reason we obsess over the Six fluffy chicks have hatched—egg-cellent news from our feathered friends! because each little peep is a new personality waiting to happen.
But here's the thing we all need to hear: you're not a bad chicken parent if you find the behavior a little weird. You're not a bad parent if it makes you nervous. We all have that one bird that's a little too enthusiastic about the treat bag, or the one that just stares at you like it knows what you did last summer. The vulnerability is real. It's the same mix of love and fear that comes with raising any animal, from the tiny Tiny Marans Froment chicks are cluck-tastic, and currently napping! to the full-grown rooster who thinks he's the Terminator. And if you've ever had a rooster chase you, you understand that the fear is not irrational. It's a healthy, respectful fear. It's the same energy that leads to stories like Chickens Got Her Good! A Backyard Poultry Adventure where the human loses the battle but wins the war of embarrassment.
So, what should you do if your chicken does the crouch? You give them the pets. You tell them they're a good girl. You don't question the crouch. Because the moment you overthink it, you miss the point. The point is connection. The point is that this tiny, feathered goofball has decided you are not a threat, but a benevolent giant who brings mealworms. The takeaway here is simple: if your chicken squats, don't panic. You're not being set up for a trap. You're being accepted into the flock. And that is a privilege, even if it means you'll spend the next ten minutes with a sore back from bending over to scratch their neck. Just be glad they didn't aim for your hand with that beak. That's a different story entirely.
