Integration help or encouragement needed

[ChicNmom]

While I was sitting in the run holding one of the newbies, "momma", the adult hen didn't like it and actually flew at me or the pullet, i couldn't tell who her intended target was, if she thought I was hurting her - the pullet was squawking loudly in protest of being held. My old dog training technique automatically kicked in and I pushed her away with fingers straight out, making contact with her neck, upper chest area as she flew at us. She jumped back and stood there looking at me very surprised, like wwhhhaaattt? It was funny. She has made no other attempt while holding the littles. Does she think the young ones are hers and in need of protection?
I don't know how chickens think (does anyone?) and would really like to see an article here on chicken talk and behaviors, or if it exists, I haven't found it yet. If anyone can explain her behavior I'd love to understand why the strong reaction. I'm not concerned, just curious.

I have no idea what goes on in a chickens brain. But even with my grown hens, if I have to pick one up and she gets feisty about it then the others will jump in and try to go after the hen while I'm holding her.

I don't know if they think she's been bad and is in trouble and they are helping me? Who knows. But i's happened with several groups of birds over the years.
Or ma

 

[Bawkbok]

Thanks for the reply ChicNmom. It's nice to hear someone else has the same experience

 

[PoppasGrill]

Our chickens found their own pecking order fairly quick. The latest clutch all stay together, as usual, but occasionally a big girl will single one out. They scatter temporarily then find each other somewhere else and continue with their chick chats.
Mostly , as far as we’ve noticed , it’s due to food. Big girls will chase the tweens away from a freshly dropped pile of mash, so we throw several spots around the area and everybody gets a little. When the chicks find good grubs they haven’t learned to be quiet about it, the big uns will hear their excitement and come running to chase them off and eat it themselves.

 

[Bawkbok]

Our pecking order took about a week. They all know their place. I'm grateful they worked it out so quickly, less squawking, more peace.

It is funny to watch them steal each other's bugs isn't it? One of our hens learned to eat it quickly when she found a good one instead of playing with it first as it was always taken.

 

[ChicNmom]

Our pecking order took about a week. They all know their place. I'm grateful they worked it out so quickly, less squawking, more peace.

It is funny to watch them steal each other's bugs isn't it? One of our hens learned to eat it quickly when she found a good one instead of playing with it first as it was always taken.

LOL! Mine will grab it and run off. Even the little ones do it. Yesterday I found a grasshopper and gave it to my senior hen.

She immediately took off with 2 others in hot pursuit.
But she was not sharing her grasshopper!!

I've noticed that the best integrating happens after they have to hide from a predator. A common enemy seems to finally break down all the barriers.

 

[Bawkbok]

Now that is interesting about the predator, but makes sense. Our yard is pretty much predatory free except for the Black Crows - ugh, but our dog is excellent at chasing them off.
Our girls are still in "jail", haven't free ranged them yet as they won't come to me. I have to force myself on them and their reaction is so loud the neighbors probably think they're being hurt. I don't want to chase them all around the yard. It's been two weeks since we've had them and they are still a little small, I'm afraid if I let them free range, I'll never get them back to the run / coop as there are too many places to hide and too many things to perch / roost on. i was going to wait until they are 16 weeks old (another 3 weeks) but I don't know if I'm doing a disservice to them, definitely our adult hen for sure but when I let her out in the morning, she pines to get back in with the littles and circles the run. They all want out so badly and I love watching chicken TV but I don't trust our dog, so it's dog inside, chickens out, chickens in, dogs out, which is why I need them to come to me when I summon them. Quite the dilemma. Being new at this, I'm winging it as I go.

 

[PoppasGrill]

Now that is interesting about the predator, but makes sense. Our yard is pretty much predatory free except for the Black Crows - ugh, but our dog is excellent at chasing them off.
Our girls are still in "jail", haven't free ranged them yet as they won't come to me. I have to force myself on them and their reaction is so loud the neighbors probably think they're being hurt. I don't want to chase them all around the yard. It's been two weeks since we've had them and they are still a little small, I'm afraid if I let them free range, I'll never get them back to the run / coop as there are too many places to hide and too many things to perch / roost on. i was going to wait until they are 16 weeks old (another 3 weeks) but I don't know if I'm doing a disservice to them, definitely our adult hen for sure but when I let her out in the morning, she pines to get back in with the littles and circles the run. They all want out so badly and I love watching chicken TV but I don't trust our dog, so it's dog inside, chickens out, chickens in, dogs out, which is why I need them to come to me when I summon them. Quite the dilemma. Being new at this, I'm winging it as I go.

Ours , after keeping them caged for a week or so, have always gone back to their room at dusk. Well, almost always, as some started roosting in the barn and refused to go into coops, no clue why they started doing this as not all of them do it.Which is the main reason we are converting half the barn to a chicken loft.
Ours free range from around 8-10 weeks and have access to the coops to run from predators.
The only time they come at our call is when there is food involved.