Hen mounting hen....???

[ccat1]

I have 4 copper marans, 3 black and 1 blue.
They will be a year old in March.
They are egg laying machines ( no light in winter either ) and seem happy as can be.
Just today, the "dominant" hen is chasing down the blue maran and jumping up on her back and grabbing her comb. She is really pinning her down. The Blue maran doesn't have much of a comb anyway, but surely won't after this behavior.
Question......is this common in hens about a year old.......and with no rooster?
My wife says this hen is acting the part of the rooster.
Just as I am typing this, she just mounted another of the black marans.
I appreciate any help in understanding this behavior.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It’s not that unusual in an all hen flock or a flock without a dominant rooster. Mating behavior is not always about sex with chickens. It’s Also about dominance. The one on the bottom is accepting the dominance of the one on top, either willingly or by force. I’ve seen it before in a flock with no dominant rooster but there was a cockerel in the flock. The dominant hen kept him in his place too but did not try to mount him. She did mount some of the other hens though, especially some of the pullets. It’s pure dominance behavior and quite normal.