Top hen mounting other hens like she's a rooster... Is this normal?

[Eliaria]

My 2 year old hen did this today. She's definitely the head girl, and now I think I know why my ISA brown is lacking back head feathers and looks so washed up. She's also been attacking my youngest EE (year old) recently to the point others are doing it too. I had to separate her when I found her running away from them, bleeding from fully plucked shoulders. I have a roosterless flock so I will be taking his roll for a bit aha.

 

[wickedwren]

I have a group of 6 easter eggers. 2 years old. One of which waddles like a duck. She is the outcast of the group and gets beaten up and pushed away from food. Two weeks ago I decided to separate here. The last few days she's been crowing. Looks like a hen. Sings like a rooster. What is this?

 

[Josefina]

Especially in a flock without a rooster, an alpha hen can take up the role of rooster. Sometimes this is just crowing or occasional mounting of other hens, but sometimes the hen will sex change into a rooster. A fertile, egg laying hen can fully sex change into a rooster if the environment is right. Hens usually only have one working ovary, but if it is damaged or otherwise stops working properly, the other ovary can develop and produce testosterone. This will cause the hen to begin acting and physically changing into a rooster. There is a more in-depth explanation of this intriguing process here: http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/spontaneous-sex-reversal-hen-just-become-rooster/

Hope that helps!

 

[Somiskel]

I just got rid of my roosters that I had and now one of the Hens that grew up with the roosters is mounting 2 of the other Hens at the bottom of the pecking order and it's really sad because while she is doing it, all the other Hens run up and start pecking the on the head of the Hen who is being mounted. What can I do to stop this?

 

[sssharon]

Somiskel i would break it up if it was me.

 

[Somiskel]

oh, i fully do when i see it, but I can't watch her all the time I passed her on to a neighbor who has a few roosters in hopes that solves the problem. I am guessing she will be put back into place, hopefully.

 

[Soot the silkie]

Especially in a flock without a rooster, an alpha hen can take up the role of rooster. Sometimes this is just crowing or occasional mounting of other hens, but sometimes the hen will sex change into a rooster. A fertile, egg laying hen can fully sex change into a rooster if the environment is right. Hens usually only have one working ovary, but if it is damaged or otherwise stops working properly, the other ovary can develop and produce testosterone. This will cause the hen to begin acting and physically changing into a rooster. There is a more in-depth explanation of this intriguing process here: http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/spontaneous-sex-reversal-hen-just-become-rooster/

Hope that helps!

That's what I was thinking.

 

[lisankaty]

I just noticed one of my girls doing this as well. I have 9 girls and no roosters. I'm not sure if this is normal behavior... Very perplexing! My Dominique is 2-3 years old and in a matter of 10 minutes, she mounted 2 different hens.

 

[SamCox]

My blue australorp hen has been mounting my 2 pekin bantams. I introduced the pekins a year after I got my first chooks (including the australorp) Is it just dominance or....

 

[Lady Teszla]

I just caught my buff orpington, no idea how old she is, but at least 3 or 4, mounting my poor tiny japanese bantam!!!! The roosters used to LINE UP to mount my poor japanese bantam, which is 90% of the reason I got rid of them, and now this???