Hen responding to rooster crow?

[jfro]

I have 2 hens and a rooster all about 15 weeks old now (siblings). Yesterday the rooster chased a much larger full grown rooster out into the bushes and didn't come back until dusk. The hens were very distressed.today he has been crowing all morning and the hens are sticking very close to him. When he crows, one of them responds with a cute little cooing noise. What does this mean? Why is she doing it? How come only one of them is responding?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

He's crowing to mark his territory. The one hen responding is probably the dominant hen.

 

[jfro]

He's crowing to mark his territory. The one hen responding is probably the dominant hen.

but WHY is she responding? What does it mean? What is she saying?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

She is probably alerting along with him, or saying she's supporting him.