Can a hen be "Lesbian" ?

[Chiko]

Forgive the word but I cant think of another...
I have an almost 3 year old Rhode Island Red hen who has recently started mounting my other hens and mated them! She obviously can't fertilize them, but she put her tail tail to the other's...She has never done this before so I don't think she's a hermaphrodite. She also just recently began making a HORRIBLE sound...I think she's trying to crow! Is she finally out of the closet? LOL or is this normal behavior for an old hen?

I do not have any rooster and have not had one for a year.

 

[Buxton Ducks]

It is definately possible! It is generally accepted and scientifically proven that gay/lesbian behavior is genetic in people and has been observed in some animals as well. However, you most likely just have a hen who is very dominant. Do you have a cock bird? Hens will sometimes take on a rooster position if there are no males around. I have a hen that was raised without a rooster present. She is exibiting the same behavior you describe above. Now that she lives with many roosters, the behavior is starting to diminish.

 

[Buxton Ducks]

Sorry, I just saw that you already said there is no roo present. My bad

 

[GardeNerd]

Buxton Ducks is right that hens will sometimes take on a rooster position if there are no males around, including the awful sound you probably heard. Basically, it isn't common, but it isn't unusual.

I have a crowing hen. Well, at least she used to. However, she never actually tried to mate the other hens in my presence. My bantam cochin hen stopped crowing when she was exiled to live in my best friend's flock across the street. The change in flocks, especially since it had lots of large fowl, took her down in the pecking order, then she moulted, and then she went back to being a regular hen. No rooster was necessary to correct her hormonal change. 9 months later, she came back to live with me again.

 

[Chiko]

Thanks for the responses guys, I'm glad it's something normal She probably just taking on the role of the rooster. She IS #1 on the pecking order and by far the oldest.

Is there a way she can hurt the other hens? How long will this continue?

 

[1muttsfan]

She will probably continue to do it as long as she is top hen and there is no rooster present. I have heard of people removing that hen for a week or so and re-introducing her to the flock, the change in pecking order while she is gone may remove her from the top position and, like the bantam above, she may return to normal hen behavior.

 

[Chiko]

How far from the flock? To where she can't see them or just a separate pen in the chicken run?

 

[SleepyOwl]

She's a lesbihen... (Sorry, that is just how I read it at first.

)

 

[bethbug74]

Forgive the word but I cant think of another...
I have an almost 3 year old Rhode Island Red hen who has recently started mounting my other hens and mated them! She obviously can't fertilize them, but she put her tail tail to the other's...She has never done this before so I don't think she's a hermaphrodite. She also just recently began making a HORRIBLE sound...I think she's trying to crow! Is she finally out of the closet? LOL or is this normal behavior for an old hen?
I do not have any rooster and have not had one for a year.

This is normal and natural, don't worry. Also, "lesbian" is not a word anyone should ever apologize for

 

[Avocadoman]

It is definately possible! It is generally accepted and scientifically proven that gay/lesbian behavior is genetic in people and has been observed in some animals as well. However, you most likely just have a hen who is very dominant. Do you have a cock bird? Hens will sometimes take on a rooster position if there are no males around. I have a hen that was raised without a rooster present. She is exibiting the same behavior you describe above. Now that she lives with many roosters, the behavior is starting to diminish.

lol, it's not been scientifically proven that it's genetic, but there are a few weak genetic correlations. There are also a lot of socialization factors. My hen Fran started to behave quite male once I gave my rooster the axe; she didn't behave like this at all before. It might simply be that some hens are tomboys and are willing to take on essential male flock roles when a suitable male isn't present.