My pullets are walking funny.

[Anita Mahaffey]

They're hanging out under the lilac bush, rolling in the dust, but they don't walk upright, it's more like a kind of scoot. This just started this evening. Are they getting ready to lay eggs?

[Chris Byers]

Pick them up and check for lice or mites. Look in the area around the vent. I could be nothing but check this first.

[Anita Mahaffey]

Thank you, Chris!

We've never picked up our chickens, so that should be an interesting endeavor. Lice or mites were my first thought in terms of what might be wrong. I don't mean to sound naive, but what is the vent?

[Chris Byers]

Where the poop and eggs come out. Lice and mites tend to gather there because of the moisture present. Never be hesitant to ask any question, no one knows all the answers.

[Anita Mahaffey]

There was no evidence of any critters. One of them got a cut on her comb, but she doesn't seem to be too bothered by it. The chickens were somewhat excited after their initial capture, but settled in for a good inspection. They all seemed perfectly happy when I gave them a fresh pomegranate for a treat!

[Chris Byers]

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/

Anita,
I am not sure what is going on, the syptoms you describe are most often associated with lice, mites or ticks. So I am not sure, the link is to a very good site that list about 140 different chicken problems and the ones I suspected do not seem to match. So I would suggest going through and see if they list something that matches what you are experiencing. The rolling in the dust is the curious part with the scooting, I am just not sure what the problem is without seeing them. Let me know, I will keep looking in the mean time.

[Anita Mahaffey]

Well, I read somewhere that chickens roll in the dust to control mites, etc, so it's possible they got infested and knew their own remedy. We have a dog, and have never had any problems with ticks. The girls certainly were not behaving the same way this evening at all. We're having coop issues that need to be resolved this weekend. The plastic bins we've been using for nesting boxes are simply not going to work, and being as we got the pullets in July, there's no telling when they're gong to start laying. This is our first attempt at chickens; my husband raised pigeons as a youth. Thank you so much for your help! I am home during the day, so I am able to observe any behavioral changes. Best to you and Ruthanne during the upcoming holiday season.

[Chris Byers]

Thanks!

[Anita Mahaffey]

Chris, so I googled "crouching chickens", and it appears that it could be a behavior chickens take on several weeks before starting to lay eggs. I guess I'll have to start patrolling the yard ...

[Chris Byers]

Well I certainly hope so, it is not something I have experienced with mine but they are so varied on how they can act and some times I think they do things just to be onery, in a nice way but like most pets if can be frustating.

My Jasper, he is pretty sure he is my son, has been barking loudly at me lately because Annabelle sometimes doesn't want to play with him. Children!

So if they look healthy and are eating well and do not become pre-occupied with the scooting and rolling in the dust, I would not worry too much. If they are close to laying time and do not have a hidden place they are putting eggs, you might get a couple of golf balls and place in the nest boxes as this helps them decide this is a good place to lay. They see the golf balls as eggs put there by another hen and think I should lay here too.
Keep us informed about how it goes.

[Anita Mahaffey]

I guess I really meant "crouching" rather than "scooting". It makes a huge difference in the search results!

Here is an excellent website with a lot of useful information:

http://www.poultryhub.org/index.php/Poultry_behaviour

[Chris Byers]

Yes, this is an excellent site, it does make a difference that they are crouching and not scooting, so I am happy to read they are crouching, looks like eggs are in the offing. If you do ever see them scoot across the ground inspect them right away. Scooting is generally a poor sign, showing distress and they are trying to relieve the itching or other problem they are experiencing.

Are they starting to make more load clucking sounds? If you notice a lot of loud behavior from an individual bird watch for her to be laying an egg. Once you become aware of how it sounds you will know when to go out and collect a very warm egg from your little darlings. I am always thrilled by it because the whole laying egg thing has always amazed me. Glad they are crouching!

[Anita Mahaffey]

Well, if nothing else, I learned more about chicken anatomy than I ever knew before. I can see how an egg can come out of there just by the way the back of the chicken is built. I left after the first two chickens and let my husband and son complete the inspection ... :)