Motherly behaviour at 9 weeks??

[megmost25]

Hey everyone . I am new to chickens, I have raised my 3 hens and 1 rooster since day olds. My barred Plymouth Rock has always been very sweet.

I recently introduced ( after a month quarantine ) a couple EE pullets. They are much smaller and were chased and pecked like crazy at first. My rock Reggie never participated.

Today is their third day in the flock. Everyone was out free ranging but I found Reggie in with the new girls . Reggie now sticks close to the new ones and the others leave them
Alone. Is this a motherly instinct or simply making new friends??

Here is a pic of them all napping in the sun

 

[nchls school]

I'm beginning to think that anything is possible with these birds. I have a hen that raised her chicks, went back to laying, and today she is clucking and leading her grown chicks around like they just hatched. A maternal rooster-why not? Is Reggie a rooster?

 

[megmost25]

Reggie is a 9 week old pullet ( my boyfriend was bound and determined to name
One chick Reginald regardless of gender) who has welcomed the new ones when the rest of the flock was being bully's . I just didn't know if I was over thinking of if it was possible for them to have maternal instincts this young... If so I may be on trouble when she starts laying!

 

[nchls school]

Reggie is a 9 week old pullet ( my boyfriend was bound and determined to name
One chick Reginald regardless of gender) who has welcomed the new ones when the rest of the flock was being bully's . I just didn't know if I was over thinking of if it was possible for them to have maternal instincts this young... If so I may be on trouble when she starts laying!

Maternal...Maybe, but I'd think it has to do with dominance. My guess is that Reggie is at the bottom of the pecking order and hangs out with the younger birds who are not more dominant than her.

 

[megmost25]

Maternal...Maybe, but I'd think it has to do with dominance. My guess is that Reggie is at the bottom of the pecking order and hangs out with the younger birds who are not more dominant than her.

You could be right!
So far there is no real pecking order/ nobody picks on anyone , has to be first to eat etc. I have been very lucky so far.

I have two silkies she used to hang out with but now they seem to have been replaced.

Last week a dog snuck out and almost attacked her and she seems reluctant to go out of the run now