Yesterday afternoon I mixed the girls and it went better than the day before. Now that Apricot has accepted that her place is below Rusty, she runs away from her, if Rusty looks at her or moves towards her. This is much better than the fights they were having on the first few days.
The other step forward is that Cinnamon has now learned to perch. She had been on the bottom rung of the ladder a few times and when Rusty chased her she went up the ladder like Apricot does. This is good because it gives her another escape route. We just need Dandelion to discover this now.
If Cinnamon and Dandelion get separated during the chasing Dandelion cries until she finds Cinnamon again. These two are now most definitely bonded with each other. They are always together whereas Apricot is often on her own, perching at the other end of the run. I feel a bit sorry for her, always sitting on her own and think it would be really good for her to be with the rest of the flock.
I think that what we need next is for Cinnamon and Dandelion to brave the patio and discover that this is the feeding station. Until they discover this they aren’t feeding while the girls are mixed which is why I am keeping their times together fairly short at the moment. It would be no good having dishes in the run because the pellets would end up in the dirt and the dirt would end up in the dishes. The patio area has always been the perfect feeding station and we have never had girls that have been adverse to stepping foot on it before. I don’t know why these two are so reluctant to go there. They also need to get used to it as the nest boxes and chicken shed are there.
Apricot has sussed the patio and is fine with it. Dandelion and Cinnamon are slower to cotton on to new things and are more nervous than she is.
Apricot is getting very brave
Emerald is scratching in the shelter
Most of the bigger girls like to scratch in here but I haven’t seen Rusty or Freckles go in here yet. The bigger girls like to get on top of it too.
Peaches and Barley make the most of their favourite dust bathing spot again
The main flock seem to love getting into the other side of the run. It would be so good to get the girls together but the patio needs to be conquered next and then getting them all to sleep together is going to be a future nightmare. For now it’s just a case of taking it one step at a time.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Rusty and Freckles look like knights ready to defend their castle against Apricot the intruder. Nice to see them in such proximity: you’re making good progress.
They kind of are. I only just managed that shot and then they chased Apricot away. I thought she was being really brave to get that far. The other two wouldn’t dare. It is getting easier but it’s going be challenging getting the newbies brave enough to get food when mixed and bedtime, well I dread to think how that’s going to go. I think another low perch in the opposite corner of the shed will be needed. I am just off to mix it up again.
You don’t have time to get bored, But things seem to be getting better.
Good luck with getting them all in the hen house together.
You are right, no time to get bored. “Good luck with getting them in the hen house together” yes, I am going to need it! At the moment it’s hard to imagine ever achieving this but I suppose we will get there eventually.