Cockerels acting like pullets?

[Oceanpizza]

Hello all. I have 19 chickens, 17 of which are pullets and 2 are cockerels. Over the past few weeks, I have seen a Buff Orpington cockerel act like some of the pullets. I have observed him cackling with some of the pullets, and imitate laying an egg, liking getting into a nesting box, making a nest out of wood shavings, and sitting there for ~5 minutes; afterwards he gets out (without laying an egg), and walks off like nothing out of the norm happened. On I have also seen a pullets sound a warning call when an eagle was seen, but that was on one occasion. So, is it normal for one gender of chicken to act like the other?

 

[diamondsilkies]

I don't know about the other stuff, but sometimes my roosters will go into the nesting box to show the hens that it's a good place to lay, or make little nests for their hens. They'll sit there to show the hens that it's safe place.

 

[ThenNotSoChickenMaster]

Yeah, I think its all normal. I've also seen my rooster get on the nesting boxes, sit there and leave, then watched as the hen laid an egg.

Roosters can also make a cackling sound, my rooster does it all the time.

Now, I've heard if a flock doesn't have a rooster, one of the chickens will act as "leader" and take the place of a rooster. They might even grow spurs, crow, etc.
Not sure if it goes the same for a rooster.

 

[aart]

They are not acting like the other gender.
Males will go into a nest to show the girls 'this is good spot'.
Vocalizations are not gender specific, except crowing, tho some females will crow too.