I don't get chickens

I really don't.  Just when I think I do, they do something that stops me dead in my tracks and makes scratch my head and go "what's up with that?".  Today, I witnessed one of those moments that I just don't get.  And if anyone out there does, please explain it to me.  Because none of the books cover things like this.

I typically only let the girls out for about an hour each afternoon, late in the day.  But today I had lots to do in the garden.  So I let them out mid-morning and they had a blast. They inspected every hole I dug and stepping stone I overturned.  They watched me prune back plants and gave me their bok bok of approval.  They had to have been just stuffed with happiness because I was digging up worms and bugs right and left which they eagerly gobbled up.

And then Honey Bear started to make that deep, guttural baawwk that told me she had an egg in her and would soon disappear off to her favorite nest to lay her egg.

One thing I find myself constantly doing with my girls, is counting heads.  I always make sure that every hen is accounted for when I go out in the morning and when I lock them back in their run in the afternoon.  I count heads if they are in the garden and I've had to go into the house for any length of time.  I only have the 7 so it's pretty quick and easy to do.

So after Honey disappeared, I found I was short TWO hens.  Poppy was missing.  I called for her but she's not one to answer like Coco.  I quickly found her two sisters but she wasn't with them.  My biggest concern with the Andalusians is that they are flyers and could EASILY get over my 8' fence.  Not that they have any desire to do so.  And I want to keep it that way.

So after quickly scanning the yard to no avail, I check the run and finally the Spice Cabinet and this is what I find:

At first glance, it doesn't appear that odd.  But that's Honey Bear in the middle nest and my 10 week old Blue Andalusian sitting in Coco's nest next to Honey Bear.

Weren't sure you saw that correctly?

Let me zoom in so you are sure you are seeing this right.  I love the innocence in Poppy's eyes.  Like this is perfectly normal and I do it all the time.

I walked out of the run and came back and thought she was going to come out of the house.

But no, not only did she go back in, but this time is perched on the edge of Honey Bear's nest with her head right up next to her mama's.

Was tough to capture this tender moment but you can clearly see Honey Bear just beyond Poppy.

I snuck around and opened the big door to capture this one.

I thought Honey had kicked her babies to the curb about 10 days ago.  She no longer feeds them and doesn't really hang out with them.  She no longer sleeps in the same house with them.  She's gone back to sleep in the big house, the Spice Cabinet, where Coco, Ginger and Spice sleep.

But clearly, some teenagers still need their mama and Poppy has a special bond with Honey Bear.  She stayed in there quite a while with her.  But not for the duration.  Her sisters began to call for her and she came out to go play with them.

Anyone else ever have a hen raise babies and a teenager who just wouldn't leave her side?