Why is she doing this?

[Chookchicken]

One of my silkie hens (Henrietta) likes to get on another one of my silkie hens (blossom) back (that doesn’t make much sense, I have tried to take photos but they always run away. I’ll try and explain) Henrietta will stand on blossoms back and grab the feathers on the top of her head and lean back to pull them but never hard enough to actually pull her feathers out. Blossom is lower then Henrietta in the pecking order and Henrietta loves to pick on Blossom, is it something to do with that? What confuses me is Blossom doesn’t try and run away she just sits there, if it is causing her pain would she try and run? I used to assume it was some kind of weird cleaning thing the did, was I possibly right?

 

[joydix]

One of my silkie hens (Henrietta) likes to get on another one of my silkie hens (blossom) back (that doesn’t make much sense, I have tried to take photos but they always run away. I’ll try and explain) Henrietta will stand on blossoms back and grab the feathers on the top of her head and lean back to pull them but never hard enough to actually pull her feathers out. Blossom is lower then Henrietta in the pecking order and Henrietta loves to pick on Blossom, is it something to do with that? What confuses me is Blossom doesn’t try and run away she just sits there, if it is causing her pain would she try and run? I used to assume it was some kind of weird cleaning thing the did, was I possibly right?

If they r both girls the one on top is showing dominance. I don’t like it when the bigger girls do that to my banties. Like you said if she were in pain she would run away. But that is def mating behaviour

 

[BlueBaby]

Maybe Henrietta is really a Henry, or at least think's that she is.

 

[JNC]

Sounds like they are mating to me. Does it look something like this?

I don’t know if shockers mate the same way ducks though

 

[FluffyBottomBantams]

Sometimes in the absence of a rooster a hen will crow, act dominant, and even mount other hens...your absolutely certain it’s a hen though? It can be hard to tell with silkies sometimes.

 

[JNC]

should I try and stop her from doing it or is she okay?

Trust me I’ve tried stopping from doing it but nope. I think she is okay as long as they don’t over mate. You’ll know if they are over mating when she has a bald spot on her head.

 

[Chookchicken]

Sounds like they are mating to me. Does it look something like this? View attachment 2469231

I don’t know if shockers mate the same way ducks though

Exactly like that.

 

[Chookchicken]

If they r both girls the one on top is showing dominance. I don’t like it when the bigger girls do that to my banties. Like you said if she were in pain she would run away. But that is def mating behaviour

should I try and stop her from doing it or is she okay?

 

[Chookchicken]

Maybe Henrietta is really a Henry, or at least think's that she is.

She does lay and has even gotten broody a few times though I don’t know.

 

[Chookchicken]

Sometimes in the absence of a rooster a hen will crow, act dominant, and even mount other hens...your absolutely certain it’s a hen though? It can be hard to tell with silkies sometimes.

She has been broody and sits on eggs and she lays she hasn’t crowed she does get picked on a lot.