Shenanigans at bedtime

I went up to check on the girls this evening just before the automatic door closed. To my surprise four of the amigos were still just outside the pop hole. I wonder why they leave it so late to go in.

Four of the amigos at dusk

Meanwhile Spangle was already perched

At this stage I realised that Flame wasn’t with the line up on the back perch

Flame was in the nest box

Flame had left it too late to lay her egg and the automatic door had now closed. I moved Flame to the perch at the back of the shed. She will have to wait until morning to lay her egg. If I hadn’t checked on the girls Flame would have been in the nest box for the night. I definitely feel the need to check the girls every night.

I moved Flame to the perch

The five amigos are perched at last

I shone the torch to help the last of these girls up to the perch. As usual it was Smoke and Vanilla who were last. I have often seen Smoke peck at Vanilla’s head when she tries to perch next her but tonight Smoke jumped down and chased Vanilla around the shed while pecking at her.

I don’t know why, when these girls hang out together happily during the day, they are so aggressive at bedtime. Smoke really doesn’t like Vanilla perching next to her.

Eventually I waited until Vanilla was on the perch then shone my torch at the perch for Smoke to jump up and then shut the door quickly so that it was too dark for Smoke to peck Vanilla.

I opened the door again for a quick photo and then shut it again. I don’t know why these girls have to make such a meal out of getting perched at bedtime. I have seen this many times before. Girls that will happily perch next to each other during the day don’t want certain girls perched next to them at night.

I often wonder what it is about a certain girl that another girl doesn’t like or at least doesn’t tolerate next to her. Smoke doesn’t behave like this with the other amigos. I guess it is probably because Vanilla is second to Smoke in the pecking order and must be kept in her place.

It’s a wonder they ever manage to get settled at all at bedtime but once it is dark they quieten down. They have to perch together for a long time over the winter. No wonder they are so eager to come out in the morning.