Pecking order and teenager adoption by top hen, normal behavior?

[aart]

My top hen has done this repeatedly with broods (entire, or individuals within one) whose broodies left them before they were ready. She has always resumed her role as top hen without issue when it's over.

As long as 12-13 weeks?

 

[Perris]

As long as 12-13 weeks?

Typically if she's playing adoptive role it's only for a few weeks while the teen(s) gain confidence, but on one occasion she took on a timid pullet as well while she had a younger clutch of her own, and they all roosted in a nest box together, and that might well have gone on that long. She is the matriarch of the flock and seems to keep her position vis-a-vis the other hens whatever she does. And the youngsters all seem to know they can go to her when they need a bit of reassurance, and she literally takes them under her wing.

 

[SamLockwood]

I didn't realize that Roos will watch the teens. It does make sense as she has definitely taken on the rooster role.
My nesting boxes are in the coop, so the flock is all together. I will start insisting that they roost.
Thank you

I found that out myself with the latest batch of chicks I integrated. During the "look don't touch" phase some of the roosters were the most curious and one even would hang out next to the wire.

When I started physically integrating them the roosters would keep the hens from bullying the newcomers and one or two would keep an eye on them from a discrete distance. I've even seen the olive egger training them from time to time.