Star is perching at bedtime

Since Star joined our flock she has been going in the chicken shed at bedtime without any help. She was settling in a corner. I would make sure she wasn’t under the girls where she would get pooped on but decided to leave her settling in the corner until she was more used to the flock. I didn’t want to give her too much to get used to at once.

After four nights I decided Star was ready for me to start training her to perch. Because she has such long toes I decided that Diamond’s perch would be the right size for her feet. We have broom handle sized perches for our smaller girls but Diamond’s perch is about three times as wide.

I waited until after dusk then when the pop hole was closed and all the girls were settled I lifted Star and placed her next to Diamond. I opened the door for a peak a few minutes later to check that she was still where I had put her and she was.

I did this for two nights and expected to have to continue for a while but to my surprise I checked at dusk last night and there was Star next to Diamond. After only two nights Star had got the hang of it and perched next to Diamond by herself. I was ridiculously proud of her.

The flash on my camera no longer works but I took a photo anyway to give the gist of it. Sorry it’s so blurred.

There was also plenty of poop under Star’s roost spot in the mornings so I am happy that she is eating properly.

Star is growing in confidence day by day. She now runs down to the bottom of the run with the other girls when I go up the path to them. She then runs up to the patio area when I go through the gate. She will also sometimes stay on the chickens’ patio while the other girls are there and she joins in with the morning spinach. I think Star is settling in really well.