The current bedtime routine

Since I have been leaving the shed door wedged open all the girls have been getting in in time and perched up.

Dandelion, Cinnamon and the silky girls have perched on their old perch since then, the bigger girls on the back as usual and the amigos on their usual perch.

I have been staying away until the pop hole had closed and the girls were perched because I know I can be a distraction for them. If I go up when some girls are in they come back out again. If I go up when they have only just gone in I can hear bumping and squawking and it is tempting to help them settle but if I leave it until a bit later they settle themselves.  I think this is better for them and more natural.

However I have been wondering if the amigos are getting in now because they are using the opening in the door instead of the pop hole. I decided to go up last night and take some photos. It turns out the amigos are all using the opening in the door so without this I am sure they would be shut out every night.

The silky girls peck at shavings while blocking the pop hole. If one of the amigos tries to go through the pop hole they get a peck on the head and are forced back. One by one the amigos go through the gap in the door.

It starts with Sienna in the pop hole

Sienna and Jasmine are  both in the pop hole and Smoke and Vanilla have entered through the door

Through the gap in the door you can see the bigger girls perched at the back. Dandelion and Cinnamon are already on their perch to the left of the door. The amigos’ perch is to the right of the door.

Spangle wants to go in but can’t get past the silky girls

Salmon also wants to go in but is intimidated by the silky girls

Spangle goes through the door

The silky girls continue to block the pop hole

Salmon goes through the door

I have to thank David for giving me this idea. It is working really well and once I have checked that all the girls are settled I simply close the door.