Mid morning when I paid the girls a visit they were in almost exactly the same positions as yesterday. Once again Topaz was the only one busy scratching.
Topaz was busy scratching and pecking
Emerald and Amber were together on their favourite little perch but the other way round from yesterday.
Emerald and Amber together as usual
The rest of the girls were on the other favourite perch in exactly the same order as yesterday but when I went to take a photograph Toffee jumped down.
The line up was the same as yesterday
You can see the space where Toffee had been and once again Emerald and Amber are in the background.
Toffee moved on to the table
I took the girls a dish of warm mash as it was a frosty day but when I returned later Emerald and Amber were back together on their little perch. They do seem to be good friends and they are all definitely creatures of habit.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
There’s something very reassuring and heart-warming about their predictability. With mine, it’s always Eton who flies over the fence first and Pavlova follows – never the other way round; if Eton goes straight for the nest box when they’re let out, Pavlova stays put till she re-appears. (There’ll be a higher fence in the spring, as my lawn is taking a hammering!)
You are right, I take great pleasure in watching their habits and know everything is right with them while they follow their same little routines.
Peaches, Barley and Emerald always check out me cleaning out the coup. The others may do their own thing or take an occasional look at what I am doing but these three are always there watching my every move and “helping”. This may involve scratching out the shavings I have just put in or jumping on me or leghorn combs bobbing against my hands which is the sweetest thing.