Female Mounting Female?

[DaveMorehouse]

I have one quail who occasionally mounts a female. I THINK that the 'mounter' is a female. It has never crowed. It doesn't fight with the roo that is in the cage. (1 roo, 4 females - I think.) It is a dark, reddish brown - almost cinnamon - and has spots down the breast. Is this same sex mounting common? Am I mistaken and the mounter is actually a roo? All five were from the same hatch and are 9 weeks old. To further complicate the issue...I get three eggs daily. (Not the four I would expect.) I keep waiting for a four egg day to be certain there are four females. Suggestions?

 

[HUGHES555]

Could be a roo. Ive never seen one of my hen mount another hen (not saying it couldnt happen). Can You post any pics of them? Some you can sex by color but some you cant. If it is one of the ones you cant sex by color then you can vent sex them by turning them over and putting pressure by the vent if white foam comes out its a roo (unless its a hen that was just mated she will have foam).

 

[FirstTimeClucky]

Could be a roo. Ive never seen one of my hen mount another hen (not saying it couldnt happen). Can You post any pics of them? Some you can sex by color but some you cant. If it is one of the ones you cant sex by color then you can vent sex them by turning them over and putting pressure by the vent if white foam comes out its a roo (unless its a hen that was just mated she will have foam).

I've got a big, fat one who I'm still guessing about. H/she has some spots on the upper breast but is more orangey than the other hens. It's like a perfect blend of male and female colouring. I've seen it chase and grab hens but haven't seen mating. It's a bit bald on the head, but that could also be from being grabbed by the roo. Could it be a transgender quail?

 

[dpenning]

I've got a big, fat one who I'm still guessing about. H/she has some spots on the upper breast but is more orangey than the other hens. It's like a perfect blend of male and female colouring. I've seen it chase and grab hens but haven't seen mating. It's a bit bald on the head, but that could also be from being grabbed by the roo. Could it be a transgender quail?

I've got some of those. The four I processed today all proved to be male though.

 

[DaveMorehouse]

Seriously, has anyone had any experience with hens mounting hens briefly?

Thanks.
Dave

 

[Binki]

Oh yes I have this predominantly in my hens only groups

Most often happens when a hen squats and peeps for me as I approach/walk by the cage, then another hen will jump on her and peck her neck a few times

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Hi Dave, not really an answer to your question, I think a funny story. So here goes, When we first got chickens my daughter was 8 or 9, when she noticed the chickens mating, she stated that she thought our Roo was really mean, because he made the hens give him piggy-back rides everywhere instead of walking himself. LOL I had to explain that they were mating, which she understood but thought was "gross". Welcome by the way. Also have had a hen take on the roll of rooster when we had to get rid of our Roo, per city ordanace. She even developed small spurs.

 

[DaveMorehouse]

That's exactly what and when it happens. Thanks for your reply, Binki. I was getting worried since the birds are nine weeks plus a couple days old and one of them (Don't know which one.) isn't laying eggs yet. I was afraid I may have two roos instead of one.

 

[Tony K T]

If there is reddish on the bird it's usually a male.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[Tony K T]

Yes this does happen if there are all hens there's a chance that 1 will take the roll of a rooster and sometimes appearance too.But your eggs will still be infertile.
In N.H.,Tony.