Bedtime corn

The girls get so excited when I go up to give them their bedtime corn. As I go up towards the run they all run to the bottom to greet me. They then follow me up to the gate and mill around  my feet in excitement.

Cinnamon always gets the closest to me and with her breast puffed out and her neck stretched she turns round in circles. It is so funny to see. She is like a little wind up toy going round and round.

Once I have scattered the corn they all run to hoover up as much as they can as quickly as they can.

The flock having their bedtime corn

I love to see the whole flock together

The girls are very adept at picking out the corn from the pine shavings that I sweep into the run from the patio area. I thought I should mention that in case it looked like I give out a ton of corn. I carefully throw out the equivalent of a teaspoon per girl as too much isn’t good for them. It’s not good to make our girls too fat although I am sometimes a little more generous on really cold nights. Digesting the corn over night helps to produce some internal heat.

They are such a pretty flock and I love that they are so harmonious. After the corn they hang around the patio area getting ready to go in for the night.

At this time of year Speckles doesn’t attempt to stay out which is good and she usually manages to bag her favourite spot in the  back, left, corner.

The amigos go to their side perch and the rest of the girls all go to the back perch. The advantage of a bigger flock is that they keep each other warm at night. We have seven on the back and five on the side which is a good number for warmth.

I am only just getting used to them going in at five o’clock instead of six o’clock since the clocks went back. Of course it is no different to them but it feels so early to me. It is the time of year that the girls have long nights and short days. Roll on spring!