Spot’s first week with our flock

I am so thrilled with how well Spot has settled into our flock. By her fourth night she found her own way into the chicken shed at bedtime. Not only that but she perched in the middle of the little girls on the back perch rather than on the side perch where I had been putting her for the first few nights.

A couple of days ago I kept checking on the girls before bedtime to see how easily she was getting in. I found that she is now among the first girls to go in which is very sensible.

Spot was on the perch next to Shadow and Smoke and Flame were together at the other end of the perch. Flame is always the first girl to go in. Salmon, Spangle and Sugar were still outside and were last to go in and settle on the back perch.

Spot has perched at the back, in the middle of the little girls, every night since that first time. This shows that she is accepted and not being pecked away.

Although the little girls chased her a bit during the first few days to show her that she is bottom girl there has been no pecking or ruff raising. Spot has been hanging out on the edge of the flock from the first day and wherever the flock was she would be close by.

Gradually she has progressed to being among the flock. Spot has shared in the communal dust bathing and preening sessions.

At first Spot was going to the food and water on the patio area when the rest of the flock were elsewhere but now she is confident enough to go to the patio area when the other girls do.

At first Spot would go to the food and water and join in with corn or sunflower hearts but she didn’t understand the white treat dishes or the fruit. Spot is a very fast learner though and half way through the first week she was pecking at the mash and fruit along with the rest of the girls.

Spot has also quickly become used to me and doesn’t move away from me like she did for the first couple of days. She is also getting used to the camera.

I think the flock accepted her quickly as they didn’t see her as a threat and she is such a fast learner that she learned everything she needed to to fit in. From the first few days she wanted to be around the girls rather than staying away from them and I think this helped her settle quickly.

I don’t think this would have been as smooth had we still had Ebony in the flock and Ebony has settled really well into her current flock so it couldn’t have worked out better.

I am so pleased with how everything has worked out and feel that we have a lovely, happy flock.