Is my chicken Jealous or just stupid?

[blackfishfin]

I have quite a few hens in my flock! I absolutely love them and I spend a lot of time sitting with them and petting them and my hens quite like it. A lot of my hens don't like being held, but they'll lay down next to me and let me clean their faces when I am in the yard. I often take short naps out there and the hens enjoy dusting or napping with me for short periods.
One of my hens, Hen Hen is at the very top of the pecking order. She is second only to Blackjack, our dominant rooster. All of the other hens are second to her. She's very old, about 7 years and we got her from a family member that couldn't keep her any more. She was in a flock with only one other rooster and it's very obvious to see that she is used to being on her own. She lets you pet her and pick her up, but she doesn't enjoy it I don't think. She doesn't actively seek out pets and sit in your lap like my other hens that enjoy that company. She kind of just follows me around and I dig up holes and skirt dirt away and she eats the treats I uncover.
Anyway, I've noticed that she hates when I hold the other hens. Even if she's all the way across the yard, if she sees me holding a chicken she'll sprint across and viciously attack them! I shoo her away and she never attacks me, but the chickens around me are free game. It's upsetting and I want to know why!
Is she jealous? Or does she know that when I'm holding a chicken that it's "trapped" and can't get away as easily? Or does she associate me with food and try and keep the other hens away? I've never heard of this before and I want to know if she's just mean or just jealous! Thank you for any advice anyone gives.
She's not an aggressive hen and rarely fights with the others unless they are in her way. I have no aggression problems within the flock and her behavior is very odd compared to the rest of the flock!

 

[sourland]

I would guess that she has learned that when you are holding a bird it is easy for her to exert her dominance.

 

[My Bagurks]

I’ve read a lot of articles and threads about chicken social behavior. And I’ve noticed a lot with my own. I could be wrong, but I think my chickens see me as the biggest rooster. I’ve asserted dominance and the roosters seem to almost bow to me. The hens know I bring food. And they follow me in the yard, scratching near my feet and the roosters tend of forage more when I’m around. The same roosters that are constantly alert and barely forage when I’m not there.

Chickens will naturally decide what we are in their flock. Even if it’s just the big food bringer. But they recognize us as defenders, roosters, food finders, and whatnot. So watch her when you are out. Try and figure out what she has decided you are. If she’s the alpha, the rest of the flock will generally share her opinion. So if you are the rooster and you pick up other hens, she may be getting mad that you are HER rooster. But she may also think that she is protecting you. Or, that you have a specific place in their pecking order and she is ensuring that the other chickens know to stay in their place.