Yesterday I mixed the girls for the whole afternoon. I had been to the woods and collected some branches to make some extra, lower, perches for the little girls. I had picked branches that were a smaller, broom handle width, to suit them. I put them in the run in a pile to decide where they should go and opened up the run.
The little girls checked out the heap of branches. The other girls were near by but there was no chasing.
The girls are mixing with no hassle
Speckles is close by but is not chasing the little girls
Despite Speckles being near the little girls she didn’t chase them away. I think she is beginning to see that they get that they are below her in the pecking order and maybe she is getting bored with constantly chasing them.
A little later they were all on the other side of the wire, near each other, without any chasing. Things are definitely improving.
The girls are together without any problems
We put up four lower, branch perches, in the different parts of the run.
Just a reminder of how cute these little girls are
Barley tests one of the new perches
Barley was first to test out one of the new perches. Peaches and Barley found all the new perches first. The little girls did find a couple of the new perches but had jumped down before I could get a photo. Those photos will have to wait until another day.
At the end of the day I separated the girls again but this was the first day that I had left them together all afternoon and had left them at times without watching them. I have grown more confidant that they can be left together without me watching over them.
I think we are ready for the next stage now. I want to try roosting them together at night. I plan to put them together in the afternoon and see if the little girls will follow the rest of the girls into the chicken shed at bedtime. I will close the little coops and the gates to the other side of the run.
If I can get them all in together at bedtime I will unhook the automatic door opener so that I can go out first thing in the morning and let them all out together. This way I can check that they all come out in the morning without any problems and can then decide if they are okay together or if I should separate them for a bit longer.
I am quite hopeful that they will mix together this weekend while I am around to watch them. It will be really good to have one united flock once more.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
They all look happy together, I am sure you will not have to many problems.what an interesting flock you have.
They are a lovely flock. My only worry now is whether the main flock will let the little girls in the chicken shed tonight. I am popping up regularly to check on them. Fingers crossed. All will be revealed in the morning.
My new girls were desperate to get in to sleep with the existing flock – hopefully yours will be the same
Watch this space, I had to help it along a little bit. Post coming in the morning.