Do your chickens copy one another?

[Col1948]

I've noticed mine do it all the time, for example, they are all in a group pecking away on the grass, then one of them might stop and sit down, so then another and another, then one might start preening so the next one does it, and before you know they are all preening.

One might go to the water bucket, so does another, so then the rest think, 'Oh I might do that as well.' and so it goes.

I only have 5 hens but they tend to go around in a group, very rare do you see one doing it's own thing, if it does it soon joins the others.

 

[LoveMyChickenBabies]

I wouldn't be too concerned as long as nothing bad is happening.

 

[N F C]

A book I recently read said that chickens are very imitative of the other birds in the flock. Guess that's how they learn things and it keeps them in a group, like you said, and there is safety in numbers.

 

[Col1948]

I wouldn't be too concerned as long as nothing bad is happening.

I'm not concerned I was just saying lol.

 

[Shadrach]

I've noticed mine do it all the time, for example, they are all in a group pecking away on the grass, then one of them might stop and sit down, so then another and another, then one might start preening so the next one does it, and before you know they are all preening.

One might go to the water bucket, so does another, so then the rest think, 'Oh I might do that as well.' and so it goes.

I only have 5 hens but they tend to go around in a group, very rare do you see one doing it's own thing, if it does it soon joins the others.

It’s one of the ways they learn. Some things seem to be in their genes but others they learn from observing what other hens do.
You do occasionally get a miss independent. The rule seems to be ‘stay within earshot’ rather than within sight. I’ve assumed that hearing any warning calls is what’s most important. It’s the group that helps keep them safe, much like humans in this respect, who unarmed and on their own could be taken by a large dog never mind a larger predator.
Chicken TV eh; you just can’t beat it.

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

Monkey see monkey do
oh wait.....
I mean
Chicken see chicken do
(And yes, especially the roosters, they try to figure what the top rooster does!)

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Monkey see, monkey do.......or in your case, chicken see, chicken do!

 

[aart]

I'm not concerned I was just saying lol.

I love your observations!
Yes, typical flock behavior.....especially with smaller flocks, you have 5 birds I think.