Mornings

I thought that following on from the bedtime posts I would do a morning post. Before I start I will just do a quick update.

Flame perched at bedtime after her broody moment and the following morning she didn’t show any sign of wanting to go in the nest box. It seems that she is very quickly over it and will probably take a short break from laying now.

Last night at bedtime when I checked on the girls the automatic door was closed and all five amigos were shut outside. If I was away overnight they could certainly get shut outside which would be really bad for them. Luckily I don’t intend to be away overnight in winter.

They were all calling out to me as if asking for my help. They ran towards me and then ran towards the shed door. I opened it and they all went in. They have now got used to being able to go in through the main door.

I shone the torch on the perch and a couple of them jumped up. I then put the rest of them up. As usual I closed the door and then peaked back in to make sure they were all still in place. I think bedtimes will probably continue to be a bit hit and miss with these girls. The other girls all get to the back perch in time but the amigos just seem to leave it too late sometimes.

The pop hole is opening quite late now as the mornings have not only been getting darker but sometimes it’s been foggy or raining so even more gloomy. I was going out at half past seven but now delay it until quarter to eight as the pop hole is opening between eight o’clock and quarter past eight. There is no point me going out earlier as it’s too dark but the girls do like to get out a little earlier than the pop hole opening.

As I go up the path and get near the gate the girls can hear my footsteps and they start to call out. As they hear me unlock and open the gate their calls get louder and I start hearing some thuds as some of the girls jump down from the perch. I talk to them so that they know it is me.

I then open the main door and the girls flood out and the chatter reaches a cresiendo. It reminds me of the chatter of children at the indoor swimming pool where there is a hub bub of sound.

I think the girls are really happy to get out after the long nights.

The bigger girls are always out first

The little girls sometimes pause to peck at the shavings

The little girls coming out

The girls are all out

The girls mill around waiting for me to give them a few sunflower hearts to start off their day. It looks dark in the run but it soon gets lighter and the girls are happy to have a little earlier start to their day.