Not sure what to think

[zekintha]

Ok a few weeks ago I posted that one of my RIR (who is about a year old
Now) was "attacking" one of my EEs (little over 10 months old). My poor EE would run from her and her feathers are looking quite pitiful. Watching the RIR on occasion would look like she is stalking the EE and then attacking. Well today again it looked like she was stalking her, she ran up to her and jumped on her back then started "wagging her tail". It looked like the RIR was trying to mate the EE. Am I totally losing it or could this be a possibility??

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That is mating behavior, are you sure your RIR isn't a rooster. Perhaps posting a photo of it would help. RIR are slow to mature so maybe. Otherwise it could be a dominant hen or one who's hormones are messed up.

 

[steve232]

I have a RIR hen that does the same thing with my other hens. Yes she lays eggs too. Crazy thing is seems mine does fine in the mornings but then in the late afternoon she begins to mount other hens and act like shes a rooster. I have recently gotten some RIR heritage breed babies and once they are big enough to join the big people I am thinking I will put Gertrude (the crazy RIR) hen and Monroe my hatchery breed RIR rooster in the smaller pen alone. Thinking that will protect the other hens from Gertrude and make sure any eggs from my heritage breed RIR will be ferterlized by my heritage rooster that I keep.