Since Butterscotch left the flock Toffee had chosen to sleep outside in the run for three nights. Last night I knew things were changing. When we went up after dinner and gave out the usual dandelion leaves Toffee was no longer perched up in the corner of the run but was hanging out with the girls.
I knew this was the night that she would return to the chicken shed. I could sense the change in her.
Later I checked in on the girls and sure enough they were all in the shed. The surprising thing was that Toffee was no longer in her usual position against the wall but was in Butterscotch’s position, right in the middle of the perch.
Toffee has taken the position in the middle of the perch
This was a total surprise to me. The last three nights I have chased Toffee in at near dusk and even in near dark she has moved from the middle to her usual position next to the wall. Last night she went in of her own accord and chose the middle spot and stayed there.
It will be interesting to see if this is a one off or if this is a new routine. I may be reading too much into this but it seems to me that she may be accepting her new role of top girl and moving more confidently into the middle position of the former top girl.
Time will tell but I think things are changing.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
All these thing show that chickens and all animals have lots of humen feelings,I love how much I am learning about chickens, since you have been keeping them.
Jackie always says we underestimate their feelings. When you have a small flock and know each individual character you learn such a lot about them.
Toffee is in the unexpected position of being top girl. She has always been a cautious and shy girl so wouldn’t have risen to the top naturally but as the top girls have left she has been left in this position.
She and Emerald have been with me the longest and I wasn’t sure of their exact age when they came to me because the farmer kept game girls to act as broodies for his wyndottes. Luckily neither of them has ever gone broody with me. I always felt that Toffee was older just by the look of her. We used to say she had a sort of grandmother look about her.
I think it is nice that as eldest and longest standing she now has the chance to be head of the flock and she is totally not aggressive so it is all very calm.
They never stop amazing me I think you can learn a lot by just watching them .
Marion is right about chickens having human feelings. I always think of it like a school playground filled will children playing or bullying .
Because they are back garden chicken you observe them more than you would if you had a huge flock.
Toffee has watched and waited and hopefully become stronger .
I have to say that I am really pleased that Toffee has become top girl. She is a wise and cautious girl who is perfect top girl material. She isn’t aggressive which is really good for the flock.