Just when I thought we had cracked the bedtime routine Pebbles has started to slip again. For a few weeks all the little girls went in and settled on their little perch each night. For the last three nights Pebbles has settled here.
Pebbles has perched here for the last few nights
I don’t understand why she has suddenly started doing this. I put her through the pop hole then opened the main door to watch her and let in a bit of light. Pebbles always perches nearest the door. She looked agitated because there wasn’t enough space on the perch nearest the door for her to jump up. She went to the other side of the perch and got ready to jump up.
Pebbles gets ready to jump up.
She jumped into the space on the perch and I closed the door. I heard a thud and opened the door again to find she had jumped back down. She looked like she was going to jump up to the side nearest the door.
Pebbles wants to jump up this side but there isn’t enough space
She gave up and jumped up on the other side again. Once more I heard a thud once I had shut the door and she had jumped down again. On the previous two nights I had just picked her from the outside perch and placed her in her spot near the door where she settled. Tonight I thought I should try to let her jump to the perch herself and that seems to be where the problem lies.
I moved Rusty and Freckles along a little bit and placed Pebbles in her favourite position near the door. I closed the door and she stayed put. I swept the patio and checked back again and she was still settled. The automatic door closed and I retreated.
I put Pebbles on the perch in the position she wanted she be in
Pebbles has always perched in this position nearest the door and I have never seen her perched in any other position. Could it really be that she won’t go in if she can’t get her favoured position! It seems ridiculous that she would rather perch outside than take a different position on the perch.
If she is so determined to get this position I don’t understand why she doesn’t go in first but she has always been in the habit of going in last. Tomorrow I will go up sooner and try to encourage her to go in earlier.
I feel a bit frustrated that every time I think the bedtime routine is sorted something seems to upset it again. It always seems to be Pebbles that doesn’t always go in. I will try to retrain her over the next few nights.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
These little girls keep you busy. I did not know that hens are so set in thier little ways and habits.
They certainly keep me on my toes. It seems crazy that they are so set in their habits but it certainly seems that way with my girls.
They are indeed creatures of habit – same thing with selecting a nest box for laying.
It is funny how entrenched their habits can be.
I will suggest to remouve the perch outside and let her doing her thing ,if you start to handle her too much before going to sleep it may became an habbit ! Ciao from Roma Italy
My husband also suggested removing the perch outside for a while. They are very used to being handled but I know what you mean, they should get used to managing without my help. Tonight she went to the outside perch again and I moved her to the inside perch. I know how easy it is for habits to develop. I will work on getting her in on her own again.