How do hens show dominance

tellynpeep

Crowing
16 Years
Oct 4, 2008
976
40
304
SW New Hampshire
Do hens mount each other like dogs do to show dominance? I watched my Blue Andalusian hen mounting one of the smaller girls today, and it looked just like a roo breeding a hen. She is the top of the pecking order, but I was surprised to see this. Hormones, maybe? Has anyone else seen this?
Thanks!
 
My dominant hen, who is a standard, just pecks the crap out of my two little banty girls. No mounting needed, they run screaming from her beak.
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My Rhode Island Red hen who is "The Queen" of the yard does this to all new hens. This the "requirement" that all new hens have to go thru with her. She is letting them know who is "The Queen" and not to get any bright ideas about taking her role in the barn yard. They quickly get the hint and no problems after that. So yes, she is establishing pecking order.
 
I just had (what I am still HOPING is) one of my hens mount another hen last night. I am SO CONFUSED!! Do hens really do this?? I have watched them all since I got them at 4 weeks old... they all look and act the same for the most part... but this ONE walks more upright, is slightly bigger (she/he has really big feet!!) - but is not aggressive and is not crowing. My flock is around 23 weeks old and I had my first eggs starting last week (Happy dance!).

Should I be worried about this behavior, or just resign to the fact hat one of my hens is in fact a cockerel?? Please advise, ANYONE!! Thank you so very much!!
 
I've never seen such dramatic behavior from my own hens, but they do have a few roosters in the mix to keep them in line. My bossy girls will occasionally chase after or grab a few feathers from the lower-ranking girls, but that's it.

I know that dominant hens, in the absence of a rooster, will take on some male behaviors, including crowing, "breeding," and guarding. Maybe your girl is just trying to do her duty to the flock. Chickens are weird little creatures, but I guess everything they do makes sense to them. So long as they aren't violent, there's no harm in letting them resolve their interchickenal dramas on their own.
 
I've never seen such dramatic behavior from my own hens, but they do have a few roosters in the mix to keep them in line. My bossy girls will occasionally chase after or grab a few feathers from the lower-ranking girls, but that's it.

I know that dominant hens, in the absence of a rooster, will take on some male behaviors, including crowing, "breeding," and guarding. Maybe your girl is just trying to do her duty to the flock. Chickens are weird little creatures, but I guess everything they do makes sense to them. So long as they aren't violent, there's no harm in letting them resolve their interchickenal dramas on their own.
Interchickenal dramas! I love that!!

Thank you very much for replying. I am going to be watching them like a hawk (well, not REALLY a hawk, that would scare them!) and see if I can once and for all determine if I have a roo in the henhouse!
 

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