How to prevent Hen mounting other Hen

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

My top hen has started mounting one of the bottom 3 in the pecking order. This has been happening for about a week. The first time I saw this, my top hen was grabbing the other's comb while on top. I have stopped it every time I've seen it. I'm also in the middle of (trying, but I don't think it will work) breaking the pecking order for other behavior issues she has. For 10 hours during the day the top hen is separated from the rest. I am partially forced to put them together at night as my only dog crate is being used for a stray cat in the middle of treatment. Until I get my dog crate back, is there anything else I can do? Will she continue mounting even if I eventually do properly break the pecking order?

Additionally, I was previously using spray bottle method or patting her in the face immediately for other excessive behaviors she has. She also wasn't getting free-ranging time before this happened as well. Is this possibly backfiring and making her want to solidify her place in the pecking order more?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Every time you remove her she will try to come back and reestablish her place in the pecking order. I would remove her completely for a few days and if that doesn’t work, rehome her.

 

[Yardmom]

Yes, separating a hen can cause more disruption when the hen is returned. Each time she returns she may need to demonstrate that she is in charge. Personally I would leave them together to work it out in the way chickens do.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Thank you both for the input! She is my favorite hen and that is partially why she is the top in the pecking order already. I think the reason it has been chaotic is I've been giving attention to the other girls more than her. Additionally, that specific hen she's mounting tries to get under every other hen at bed time for some reason. I'm not really worried about her harming any other hen, she doesn't have any behaviors that demand a rehoming yet. Will update what happens if I start favoring her again. For now, I'll stop trying to correct the smaller behaviors and mess with the pecking order since it's only started since I have been trying to favor the lower ones more.