The automatic pop hole is opening at about half past seven at the moment so I thought this would be a good time to let the new girls out.
I opened the door and waited and nothing happened.
I opened the door at half past seven this morning
I decided to help them out. Apricot was last as she has no fear of my hands.
Apricot is so calm around my hands
I persuaded Apricot out, well actually I gently pushed her out, and she went straight to the water.
Apricot comes out to the water
I was really pleased to see all three girls go to the water so that is one thing less to worry about. The water level in the bottle hadn’t moved so I removed it. Now I know they are drinking from the water dish I don’t need to leave the bottle.
I also saw all three girls go to the pellets dish so I am happy that they are all eating. I made both lots of girls some mash and the new girls all tried the mash too.
There is a very definite pecking order with the three new girls and it seems to relate with how they are with me too. Apricot is firmly at the bottom of the pecking order but is the most friendly with me, doesn’t mind me touching her, and is easy to pick up. Cinnamon is in the middle of the pecking order and is also in the middle of ease to pick up, allowing me close to her but not wanting to be picked up. Dandelion is at the top of the pecking order and doesn’t want me near her and is the most difficult to pick her. I had to trap her in a corner to pick her up at bedtime last night.
Dandelion, top girl
Cinnamon, middle girl
Apricot, bottom girl
Apricot spends a lot of time in the little coop. She is so nervous of the other girls that they only have to go near her or look at her and she runs into the coop. They never follow her in though. I did notice that she was being intimidated away from the food and water so I spent some time hand feeding her pellets.
She came out for water and ran back in again when Cinnamon moved towards her so I put the water in the little coop and she had a long drink. I am now standing guard over her several times a day while she feeds and drinks. The handy thing about this is because she is so relaxed around me it makes it easy for me to help her. It also means she will be as willing to come to my hands as Rusty and Freckles are. I don’t imagine Cinnamon and Dandelion will be as friendly with me, but you never know, it may change with time.
It’s quite a different dynamic having three girls instead of two. Rusty and Freckles were so bonded with each other from the first day they came to me whereas these three don’t appear like that at all. It may have been partly because as a twosome they only had each other and it may also be because Rusty and Freckles were only four months old whereas these three are six months old. Luckily there are no spats between them but there is a very definite pecking order.
At the end of the day, once again the original flock were all in by five o’clock, but the new girls were all still out at half past five. I was surprised that even Apricot was out this time. I put them in as I don’t want them out in the cold. I put Apricot in first as she is so easy to pick up. The other two I directed to the corner, then picked them up more easily, than last night.
I am not sure that they are going to get the hang of putting themselves to bed but I am sure that once they are mixed with the other girls they will follow them. At the moment everything is very new and different for them but I am pleased with the first day’s progress.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Sounds like you’ve had a good first day. I’ve got to say that Apricot looks like an absolute charmer – and her interactions with you suggest the same. I have no doubt that the others will get tamer in time – just look at Speckles.
My Butterscotch is following yours – now broody (as expected), but not a pleasant broody, as your Butterscotch was!
When I added, that you never know, I was actually thinking of Speckles. I never thought she would warm to me and at the moment she is obsessed with jumping on my back every time I am on the patio area. Yesterday I cleaned out the chicken shed and at one point was struggling to get the bag of pine shavings out of the cabinet with her on my back after already dismounting her a few times. Can’t complain though, it’s nice to be loved!
Funny you should say about your Butterscotch, I always seem to sort out the naming, on the journey home. The short list for Cinnamon started with…. Galaxy (was going to run it by you) then Chocolate, then Coffee then ended with Cinnamon. I also tried to come up with different start letters as otherwise the egg chart gets complicated.
Sorry you have another broody to cope with.
Lovely new girls- especially Dandelion ?
She will look even better when she gets all her feathers. I picked her up at bedtime and a few long feathers fluttered from her. She is moulting like mad but I know she will be beautiful when fully feathered.
OMG, they are darling. I’m going to have to consider getting some smaller hens the next time around. They are just so cute.
They are cute. They are even smaller than Rusty and Freckles. Seramas do vary a bit in size. Cinnamon is the smallest but has the biggest comb so is fully grown. Apricot has the smallest comb so will mature a bit more. I must admit I really love little girls.
I wonder who will be top girl when they are all together?
It is good they have settled so well on the first day.
They are very pretty.
I think it will probably be Rusty followed by Freckles but you can never be sure. Freckles is doing the most ruff raising at the wire and that is typical, it’s what I call “bottom girl syndrome”. She is bottom of the main flock and it’s always the bottom girl that wants to move up a notch. I think the bigger girls will keep their positions above the little girls which is why they haven’t shown much interest in the new girls. It will be interesting though.
Oh they are so pretty! How do you get anything done? It must be so fun to watch them and so difficult to go to do what needs doing!
Luckily we are self employed and it’s our quiet time of year but you are right, I spend a lot of time chicken watching instead of doing other things.