Hens humping hens

[maryellen21]

My hens are taking turns humping each other - why? Mating season?
And three of them ganged up and went after a new hen i got in sept, we had to seperate the three from hurting the one.
Yet after all this they all are peacefully sleeping and foraging together fine..
What is going on?
I have no roosters.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Getting on the back of another bird is showing dominance over that bird - allowing it to happen is a submissive act. While it isn't an every day behavior among same sex flocks, it is not all that uncommon for a flock to engage in it from time to time either. Chicken society is all about knowing your place and those above you will be quick to put you back in it if you get designs on rising up the ranks -- these interactions often seem quite brutal to those of us looking in from a human perspective, but until/unless serious physical injury (some feathers pulled out and even a little blood drawn with pecks to a comb, etc are not serious injury) is occurring interference is more of a harm than a help in the long run.

 

[maryellen21]

Thanks. There was no blood shed and they all mingled after so i thought it might be the pecking order .