Hen doing the rooster dance?!

[Livvydays]

This morning when I let my hens out in the yard, one hen did "the rooster dance" by dropping one wing down and going around another hen! I had gotten rid of my rooster last summer. So I have heard that hen can begin crowing like a rooster when no rooster is in the group but never heard of the hen doing the rooster dance! All comments welcome as I'm very curious about this!!

 

[CoopBoots]

I have multiple roosters and a good laying hen in my flock still does this to other hens on occasion, in a flock of approximately 25.

She's the only one I've observed doing this that I recall. She has a slightly more aggressive/bully attitude than most other hens. That said, I think it started because she was having an insecure moment in the pecking order. To my knowledge she was never anything but a mid-level hen, but she felt the need to make her limited authority felt, haha.

 

[CombNWattles]

Chickens are so weird! My older/higher ranking hens have done this on occasion; my conclusion is that it’s an expression of dominance, not a male-specific behavior.

 

[thecatumbrella]

That's hysterical. I've never had a rooster in any of my flocks, so I always get one hen that starts to assume the personality. I've had a crower and an attack bird that defended "her girls". I'm sure they have no clue what they're doing or why.

Honestly, I'd take the dancing over the crowing!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Head hens(Alpha) will display dominant behavior towards lower ranking hens in the flock. Dancing, Mounting, Upright Sass with side step, & lowered shoulder are a few.