Yesterday was a good day. I had read on the “Down The Lane” forum of someone having a really hard time integrating new girls, phew, not just me then! It was suggested that one of things that could help was to put the mildest mannered, old girl, in with the new girls.
I decided to try putting Emerald in with them at lunch time until I was ready to supervise mixing them again.
Emerald takes no notice of the new girls
Emerald is top girl and a gentle top girl at that. She took no notice of the new girls at all.
Once we had finished work I closed off the bottom of the run where the ladders are and mixed the girls. I stood by with the water spray. I only had to point it at Rusty a couple of times and she stopped in her tracks. Soon the old girls were taking no notice of the new girls.
These three girls are after leaves
Freckles was in the nest box and Speckles, Peaches and Barley were really intent on getting leaves from the bush.
Rusty isn’t bothering the new girls
I actually felt confident enough at this point to go indoors and answer a few work e-mails. When I returned some of the girls had managed to escape the temporary gate and the new girls were back at the top of the ladder.
I decided that as they had had a good feed of mash while I had been watching over them, I would just leave them to it. I felt it was time to let them venture down from the ladder when they were ready.
I had jobs to do indoors and decided to leave the run open and go out later in the evening when it was getting darker to see if the new girls would go into the chicken shed by themselves.
I gave them the bedtime corn while they were all together and that went well with all the girls getting a share. I also cleaned out their little coop ready to be used on the patio as a second nest box once more. This also gives a bit more space in the new girls section of the run.
We went to check on them after dinner at about half past seven. To my amazement Apricot was not only in the chicken shed but was on her perch. I felt so proud of her, what a clever girl. Dandelion was on the patio looking a bit confused and there was no sign of Cinnamon.
I checked the nest box on the patio and there she was. Okay, not where I wanted her to go, but it was clever of her to recognise that this was just like her own little coop. I put Dandelion and Cinnamon on the perch and made a mental note to close the nest boxes tonight.
I am blown away by this progress and I think with the nest boxes closed the girls will find their way in to the chicken shed. I think by the weekend we will have them together full time at last, after five weeks. I am feeling very pleased with this progress.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Yay – I knew you’d get there!! Clever Apricot – can you ask her to come and tell my girls to do the same?! 😉 x
I felt ridiculously proud of her. I plan to remember to close the nest boxes and leave it a little later tonight to see if the other two follow her lead. The bedtime routine has been a lot easier than I was expecting.
Really good news, and what an interesting idea to put Emerald with them – I’ll have to bear that one in mind for the future.
Me too. I think we are finally getting there.
Well done, things seem to be moving on.
I think we are finally ready for the girls to be together full time. I have to say the bedtime part of this went much easier than I expected. I think it’s time they got used to being together all the time and I hope that over time they will get fed up with the ladder.
Yea, such good news. I know it just takes time. I’m so happy for you.
I was beginning to think we were never going to get there but you are right, sometimes it just takes more time.