Do you have a bi-sexual chicken?

[cjpines]

We think one of our chickens is bi. She's an 8 month old Australorp named Inky. She's been humping another 8 month old chicken, bites her neck and acts like a rooster. The other hen just shrugs it off and walks away. Also Inky quit laying eggs a couple of months ago.

She's always been a calm bird and likes to keep to herself, but does socialize with the flock. She doesn't fight other birds and doesn't seem to be dominant. Some of the other birds do push her away when I bring treats.

I've asked this question before and no one has heard of a hen doing this.

I can't believe she is the only chick that does this, anyone have any ideas?

 

[theoldchick]

If you have a hens only flock you will see such behavior as you describe. It's not really sexual it's just a way of saying I'm the boss of you. Also, since you mention the hen stopped laying eggs she might have reached 'henopause' and her testosterone levels are peaking causing her to act like a rooster.

 

[cjpines]

If you have a hens only flock you will see such behavior as you describe. It's not really sexual it's just a way of saying I'm the boss of you. Also, since you mention the hen stopped laying eggs she might have reached 'henopause' and her testosterone levels are peaking causing her to act like a rooster.

Would a hen reach henopause at age 8 months?

Yes, I have only hens.

I thought because she stopped laying it was due to the first molt, but the others are still laying same age. Hum!

 

[JadedPhoenix]

When you have no rooster, the alpha hen will take over the dominate role of a rooster. She will stop laying and sometimes even crow. It is NOT sexual in any way. It always amazes me how people will attribute human traits to animals. It is as was stated above a way to tell the other hens that she is the boss. It is ingrain in to all of the chickens that there must be an order for each of them to follow and if there is not the traditional leader (the rooster) willing to step up to the plate or even when there is but a weak one, a hen will step up to fill that role. Otherwise there is chaos in the flock.

 

[theoldchick]

Most likely her molt has caused her to stop laying. At 8 months she has several years before she enters 'henopause'. All flocks have a boss hen and they get even bossier when there is no rooster. My original boss hen was a hoot to watch. While she was the smallest hen in the flock, she was either in everyone's business or standing back watching everyone. She supervised the nest boxes, who went to roost, and in what order. Whenever there was an argument she'd rush over to break it up. While she was never aggressive toward me, she did have a strange habit of walking up to me and looking me straight in the eye.