There are lots of things to think about when deciding what is best for your flock

I have such a lot to say today that I hardly know where to start. The beginning of recent changes I suppose is the best way to start this post.

The reason I felt now was a good time to add two more bantys had a lot to do with Honey and Amber. Amber has always struggled with her egg laying and although she is the same age and breed as Honey and started laying eggs at the same time she is noticeably smaller than Honey. I wonder if it’s a bit like the runt of the litter, she is smaller, and less well able to lay her eggs.

I was worried that if I lost her, Honey would be one little girl alone with three big girls and it may not be easy to get more bantys and integrate them. I thought if I got two more now then if anything happened to one of the little girls in the future they wouldn’t be alone.

I love Amber’s small size and feisty nature but I do worry something in her egg laying is not right. Honey lays every other day with never a problem whereas Amber lays once a week to ten days and always struggles with it.

After the first turf I gave the girls, I decided that a smaller square would be better.  These photos show the difference in size of Honey and Amber.

A smaller square of grass

Compare the difference in size of Honey and Amber

The first day with the new girls was quite stressful and I hadn’t expected bloody combs through the wire but I knew Bluebell would be the problem girl.

Today was much better but when I let the new girls out at quarter to seven and was poop picking their coop Bluebell and Topaz started sparring again through the wire. I lifted Topaz away and the situation diffused.

Throughout the morning there was more shouting from the big girls but not as bad as yesterday. Bluebell was first to lay and chose the crisp box again. Dotty laid in the little coop followed by Pepper. Sparkle also laid again in their coop.

In the afternoon I collected my friend Jackie to visit the new girls. Jackie approved of my choice and agreed they are beautiful.

We had a discussion about how difficult Bluebell was with the first little girls last year and now again with the new little girls. Bluebell has always been Jackie’s favourite of my girls because of her striking colours and her inquisitive personality.

I said that if Jackie wanted her she could have her as she is so problematic with the little girls. The idea started to take hold and we both agreed it might just work.

Bluebell had been the most placid girl and bottom girl of my big girls when I first started my flock. She had never pecked at any other hen and was affectionate and bright and inquisitive.

Then after losing Treacle I added the bantys last year and Bluebell turned into a monster with them, constantly bullying them. It took a long time for things to settle down and she is still the one to chase them.

Now we have the new girls it is once again Bluebell that is the problem girl. She paces their boundary and is the only one of the old girls to peck them through the wire.

My girls seem to have formed into pairs with Pepper and Dotty being really close and Honey and Amber are also close and I am sure the two new girls will be too. Bluebell has always been the odd one on the outside of the circle since Treacle went. Pepper and Dotty settle on the coop roof before bedtime and the bantys usually settle in the nest box and Bluebell is not accepted and settles on the store cabinet until I put her to bed.

I think it’s because of this that she gives the little girls such a hard time. Jackie has four different breeds all of a similar size and if she took Bluebell she would then have five different breeds of a similar size. Bluebell going into a new flock may be bottom again but go back to being as docile as she used to be and she wouldn’t be the odd one out any more. She may be happier in Jackie’s flock.

We all agreed to think about it and Jackie said she would discuss it with her husband when he got home from work.

I had noticed that Sparkle sits on the coop roof and realised that there were no perches on their side of the run. Jackie said she had woodland behind her house and we could look for some branches or logs for the girls.

I bought home a branch and two logs which I put in and Sparkle checked it out straight away.

A new perch for the new girls

Later Jackie called me to say she had talked to her husband and they were both happy to give it a go with Bluebell. I discussed it with my husband again too.

I felt a bit sick at the thought of letting Bluebell go and was tearful when talking it through with my husband but we both agreed that as well as the little girls having a better life we felt Bluebell could be happier with Jackie’s flock.

I know Jackie will give her a good home and she is only ten minutes away so I can visit and she will give me updates. We both agreed that if it didn’t work out I would take her back.

We agreed that I would take her to Jackie’s tomorrow afternoon as now the decision is made we feel it’s best sooner than later.

I went up to give the girls their pre bedtime corn and felt that I must take a photo of Bluebell.

Bluebell

The big girls awaiting their pre bedtime corn

At Jackie’s Bluebell could grow back her feathers and be restored to her former glory. I remarked to Jackie that she would have blue eggs and my eggs would not be so colourful to which she quite rightly said that you can’t have everything.

I am feeling quite emotional about this decision but I really do feel this could be the best thing for my flock and for Bluebell’s happiness. At the moment it’s as if she is constantly struggling to keep her position and she may have a better quality of life with Jackie and being my biggest girl she will have more space and the chance to free range with Jackie’s flock.

If it doesn’t work out she can come back so we all feel we should give this a go. This is turning out to be a time of changes but we must decide with all parties best interests at heart and I have every faith in Jackie to give my girl a better life.