Incidence of prelay squatting behavior is not related to subsequent egg laying in turkey breeder hens.

Sexual receptivity of turkey hens as indicated by squatting (sexual crouch) was evaluated in three strains of breeder hens, Nicholas (N), Hybrid (H), and British United (B). The incidence of squatting was compared among strains through 84 d of photostimulation and related to egg production characteristics. Significant strain, time, and strain by time interaction effects occurred for the incidence of squatting. In all three strains, squatting started within the 1st wk of photostimulation, rapidly peaked (75.0, 65.6, and 43.0% for H, B, and N hens, respectively) at 14 d of photostimulation, then returned to lower, basal levels at or before attainment of 50% hen-day egg production. Squatting incidence was highly variable within and between strains but was generally lower in N hens than H and B hens, which showed similar squatting expression. The incidence of prelay squatting was not correlated to onset or rate of egg production. However, there was a negative correlation between squatting behavior and percentage floor eggs in H (P = .03) hens. It was concluded that squatting incidence varies within and between strains of hens and is not related to subsequent egg laying performance.