Hen mounting other hens

[Hollywood Chickens]

I have 1 1/2 year old Barred Rock hen that has stopped laying and has started mounting my other hens, and really mounting them not just standing on their backs. She has pulled out many neck feathers and ripped out many rump feathers (from sliding down like a rooster) why is she doing this?

 

[usschicago1]

Do you have any other roosters? She may be showing dominance.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

I don't have any roosters, and she has never even seen a rooster! I thought it was a dominance thing but she doesn't stop, she especially picks at this one Australorp that is higher in the pecking order than she is.

 

[Neilette]

I hear it's hormones. If she hasn't seen a rooster, then her instincts tell her "someone needs to be at the top!". It's not learned behavior, it's instinctual.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

Is there anything I can do about it?

 

[SmartyChick]

I had a hen do it a few times. She was picking on the hen that was "at the bottom" of the pecking order. I grabbed her by the tail and flung her off. After a few times of this I never saw her do it again.