Question about chicken behavior during a stalking incident

[z3lda3]

Unless they've been attacked by a canine before, likely they were just anxious about this big strange, animal poking around their domain. They do have survival instincts, but they only go so far. They have to learn what's a threat and what isn't, and what works for a good hiding place and what doesn't.

Mine have been attacked and killed by predators before, mostly by hawks, a bobcat, and coyotes. They're used to me, but when strange people show up they tend to do what yours did in that situation: some go into hiding, others raise a fuss or just observe to see what the stranger is about.

They pretty much hate anything that looks remotely like a dog, though, as well as birds of prey. Either one of those shows up at any distance they can see, and they go into "lockdown mode." The roosters and guineas sound the alert and everyone dives to various hiding places. Then they make a decision as to whether to shelter in place or form a "goon squad" to drive the tresspasser off.

I’ve got two dogs, a coonhound and a mixed chihuahua type. When I first started out, I raised the chicks indoors, so my dogs were always around the chickens and vice verse. So my chickens aren’t scared at all of the dogs. As a matter of fact when my coonhound starts bawling outside, my chickens run and hide. They’ve learned when he does that, there’s a predator somewhere close. (Although sometimes it’s just a squirrel but still..). However a coyote scares my birds, they freak out, my roosters sound the alarm and all run and hide. Same with any dog other than ours.
And people. I can go out and pick up any chicken, roosters too. And some like it, some just tolerate it. But it’s no big deal. I had a friend come over and was showing her my garden..the chickens lost their minds. They were scared of her, even my roosters were charging at her. Same thing happened with my father-in-law, and the oil guy. They know strangers from their caregivers. Chickens are much smarter than most ppl give them credit for. (Of course I say that, and at the same time I’ve seen them freak out over a falling leaf).
I’ve had mine form goon squads too. I had a hawk swoop down, he was a smaller hawk, not like the red tails I typically see, and grab one of my little hens. As I’m running to them- I watched all my roosters and several hens attack the hawk. He dropped the little hen, and was absolutely mauled by my goon squad. Dead as a hammer. It looked like a blood bath. Fortunately none of my chickens were hurt.
Here’s a pic of my primary rooster afterwards. Who knew chicken life could be so vicious..