Hens mounting hens?

[timco]

Hello all again!

We have a 3-4 year old RIR that lately has been laying different and thinner eggs. By different I mean they are not the same color and smoothness they used to be.

Today I watched her mount a 2 year old Aulstralorp hen and act just like they were mating.

Is this in any way harmful to either or the flock? We have 9 chickens, a few different types, ranging from 4 years to a year and a half old or so.

Thanks!

Tim

 

[Denninmi]

It may be just dominance behavior, or it may be related to hormonal changes in the old RIR. I understand that at times, when their ovaries are running out of eggs, female hormones drop, male hormone levels rise, and older hens can begin to exhibit male characteristics, such as crowing, an increase in the size of the comb, etc.

I highly doubt it's harmful, it's just something that happens. Biology can be a bit strange and is often "messy" but never dull.

 

[azygous]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8561814.stm Chickens are unusual creatures. They have both male and female cells present in their bodies, and at any time, due to perhaps some external pressure, they may exhibit behavior of the opposite sex.

In extreme cases, they may undergo a "sex change". This goes back to their reptilian ancestry.