Our human's place in the flock is Alpha. The Master. The undisputed Queen. We usually run away from her (she's scary BIG!); but if someone's being a bully, it's good to follow her and stay close by, but not toooo close. She has big feet!
She is The Wielder of the Rattly Stick. The Enforcer of Bedtime. Some of us like to stay out late, but when we hear "GO TO BED!" and that Stick rattles, it's best to go up the ramp and hide inside or she'll walk us round and round, with nowhere else to hide!
She is The Thief who takes all of our eggs. I sometimes peck at her, but then she grooms me and it feels sooo good I stop and close my eyes.
She is The Giant who takes over our coop sometimes, cleans and redecorates. I don't know why; we had it fixed just the way we like it. It's always so confusing to the younger hens! I like to sit in the nest box during all this and watch the idiots squawking and scolding from roost to roost. It doesn't do any good; she just keeps going. Afterwards, I like to scratch around in the new stuff to see if there's anything to eat.
She is the Gatekeeper. We know when it's time for her to steal the eggs, so we pile up at the gate to be first to be let out. We show her how much we love it by demonstrating our best run-and-fly acrobatics on our way to the dust-baths and the best buggy hideouts.
And she is our Bodyguard and Protector, sometimes. When the scary hawks are circling and we have to hide, she comes into our pen and they fly away. Whenever she's around, we know it's okay to come out of hiding. What a relief!
