Large vs. Small Flock Chicken Behavior: Should I be worried?

[Criskin]

Some of you might remember from my previous posts that I lost 11 of my 18 chickens to my dogs a couple of weeks ago. I know that the idea of a large or small flock is relative, but to me 18 was quite a few birds! Anyway, I've noticed a marked change in the behavior of my surviving chickens. My flock was never wild but, save for one individual, they weren't overly friendly either. Now they are practically lap pets! They run to me singing when I walk outside and refuse to enter or leave their coop without following me. I think it is kind of cute but I'm beginning to wonder if it is normal. Could they possibly remember the attack still and see me as their "protector"? Has anyone else noticed such a drastic change in attitude when the number of chickens was reduced?

 

[onedozenphyllises]

We had twelve hens and a rooster, and lost about a third of them to our dogs all in one shot.

The only change I saw in their behavior was that they were rather subdued for a week or two after that. They didn't venture far from the coop, were unusually quiet, etc. They eventually got back to normal and now they're just like they were before. They didn't act any differently toward me at all (but I also wasn't home when the attack happened). My guess is that if they're acting differently, it probably has more to do with the attack than with the reduced flock size. But I have only limited experience on which to base this theory!