I'm just curious about something.... I only have 2 chicks, 5 weeks old. I love watching them! They do EVERYTHING together. It's like, "Ok, now we're going to drink some water, now we're going to take a dust bath, now we're going to peck at this whatever-it-is....". And of course they sleep squished up against each other on their log. (They're still in the brooder.) My question is to you who have bigger flocks (as in more than 2) is: do they ALL do the same thing at the same time, or do they pair off? Do they seem to have "buddies" that they stick with? I've never actually watched chickens before - this is all new to me.
I had 25 chicks at once, and no they were all over the place, but they do things in 'groups' even now as they are in their mature years. 6 here, three there, but never the same ones. no chicken clicks. none of them are buddies like some people have noticed of their chickens. I think it is sweet that they are buds.
Mine definitely have different cliches. I even have some that tend to follow me around when I'm out and some that like to venture way off alone in the field. I so worry about them with hawks, etc. I have some roosters you can't turn your back on and some that are just big old pets. It's amazing how different they all are and how much fun they can be.
I think its just part of the survival and competition for food. Heaven forbid a chick finds something good and the others dont know. I've got six new chicks and its like they are glued together,watching each others move. Guess thats where the term nosy hen comes from. My older girls kind of swim in their own direction, unless one finds a worm and then runs attracting the attention of the others. Then a rugby match then ensues. That being said I do have a pair of hen-pals that come running into the coop from the run or the snow fenced area connected to the run that they graze in to try escape every time the door opens. One is RIR and the other a Barred Rock,they are always together. Their real names are Peaces and Jimmies(aka Sprinkles) but I refer tp them as Thelma and Louise.
I agree mine are seperated into little clicks - ones that are buddies hang out together for the most part . They roost that way too - friends stick together
Who knew chickens had such personalities?! I love it. Yes they do go into competitive mode when there's food - or possible food- involved! I caught a fly today and put it into their brooder. That poor fly went back and forth between the two of them probably 20 times before he was gone!
I have over 100 chickens of all ages and for the most part if one does something the others join in. Usually one of the birds in each flock is the dominate one. I love to watch them.