Head Hen Is Acting Like A Rooster And Mounting Other Hens!!! HELP!

[Buttercup is the best]

Hello all, my 3-year-old Buff Orpington, Buttercup, has recently started to act as a rooster. I was out with them today, and I watched as she mounted one of the younger and weaker hens, then I pulled her off and came back later and she was doing it again to a different hen that is her same age and only a little smaller than her. Yesterday, I saw them squabbling with each other, but I figured it was just them working out who was boss. Recently 3 of my younger hens have started to lose feathers on their backs, and I thought that it was molting, one of them has gotten worse, so I have started to treat it. At first, I thought it started as a molt and then her back got sunburnt, but now I am thinking that Buttercup kept mounting her. I am wondering if there is any explanation for this and if there is any way to fix Buttercup's behavior.
LMK
thanks!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sometimes without a rooster a hen will take the role of rooster. Sometimes it's a hormonal issue, and sometimes it's a dominance issue, and other times it's because the need for a mate is an instinct too strong, and they fulfill it by one becoming a stand in male.

You could try removing the hen and penning her separately to see if it helps. I'd do around 2 weeks.

 

[Buttercup is the best]

Alright, good to know. I am traveling most of the summer, but I will try and find a time to separate her. Thanks for the suggestion!!

 

[Buttercup is the best]

This is still going on, and I am going to separate her today or tomorrow. By now most of my flock has feathers missing on their backs. If anybody has any other suggestion to avoid having to rehome her, that would be very appreciated

 

[Tunie B]

My lavender Orpington is doing the same thing. Our sweet rooster was killed in April by a dog.
I wouldn’t mind this new habit, but she’s so much bigger than most of my flock. I have a lot of bantams that she might accidentally hurt.

Will getting a rooster help?

 

[Tunie B]

This is still going on, and I am going to separate her today or tomorrow. By now most of my flock has feathers missing on their backs. If anybody has any other suggestion to avoid having to rehome her, that would be very appreciated

Has she gotten any better?