Hen mating hens!!! Strange??

[laurapeers]

I have a 3 year old poland hen who is top girl in my small flock.

Recently she has started crowing ans now she has started mounting my pekin hen and 'mating' her!!!

She seems to think she is a rooster but is also still laying eggs!

What's going on? Is this normal?

Thanks in advance x

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yes, not real real common but perfectly normal. Mating behavior is not just about sex, it’s also about dominance. The one on bottom is accepting the dominance of the one on top, either willingly or by force. Sounds like that was willingly.

In a flock without a dominant rooster the head hen will sometimes take over some of the rooster’s normal responsibilities. She’s just showing that she is the dominant chicken in the flock. I’ve seen that in a flock with young cockerels but no dominant rooster. Once the cockerel matured enough to enforce his dominant rooster rights that behavior by the lead hen stopped.

 

[laurapeers]

Haha thanks for your thoughts... glad she is not confused. Haha xx