Surprises and integration day

Last night we had to go out at half past six and thought we would get back about ten o’clock in time to put the girls to bed. Before we left Emerald had left the little coop/nest box and I thought I should just check in case there was an egg.

I was really surprised to find that there was an egg. She wasn’t just practising after all. I was surprised because her comb is so small, almost non existent, and I really didn’t think she would be laying yet. Her egg was slightly bigger than my other little girls.

The second surprise was when we got back at ten o’clock and I went straight up to get the girls to bed. It was exactly the same as last night with Toffee in the flower pot and Emerald sat on the coop roof except that this time Honey and Amber were sat next to her. The reason I was so surprised was that after last nights escape I had used a spade to bank the soil up against the dividing wire before we went out. Emerald must have dug under the wire and squeezed through the tiny gap.

Emerald must have been really determined to join the other girls or to roost on the preferred side of the run. I decided that as I was integrating them today I may as well put them all in the main coop right then.

I checked that Topaz was in the coop already as she always goes to bed early. I lifted Sparkle from the top of the store cabinet and popped her in. I lifted the girls from the coop roof in the order of nearest to me and put in Honey, Amber and then Emerald with no problem. I then went round and lifted Toffee from the plant pot and put her in and closed the coop door.

My husband came up to see how it was going and was surprised that I had got them all in. We had a peek in through the nest box and they were all settled together. I decided to go out at first light this morning to make sure they all got along.

It was a really stormy night and we were kept awake by the thunder and heavy rain. Just after half past four I decided it was light enough for the automatic coop door opener to open so I went out. The older girls were all out but the two new girls were still in the coop. I looked in through the nest box and they were sitting happily together.

I pottered round the run doing my chores to give them a little more time then decided it was time to encourage them out. I took off the side panel of the coop and there on the coop floor was Amber’s egg with another really fragile, dented, shell. It was an improvement though because at least it had a shell (instead of completely soft) and she hadn’t looked unwell the day before laying.

I encouraged the new girls out and scattered some corn. It was Topaz and Honey that gave them a quick peck then they all set about scratching around.

The girls are all together

I spent half an hour watching them then felt happy to leave them to it. There was nothing nasty happening.

My husband looked out of the bedroom window and saw Honey chasing one of the new girls. This may explain yesterdays behaviour between Honey and Amber. I think perhaps Honey, bottom girl, doesn’t want to stay at the bottom and sees a chance to move up the pecking order. It will be interesting to see how the order settles.

I looked out of the bedroom window and Topaz and Toffee were on a perch together. I think this is a good sign.

I gave the girls some cabbage leaves and Topaz and Emerald were pecking at them together. Amber was having a dust bath which I thought was good for her as it will remove any dried blood from her. She seems to have bounced back from her ordeal yesterday.

Amber having a lovely dust bath

Sparkle and Toffee were on a perch together.

Sparkle and Toffee

On my next visit Toffee was sat on the perch between Sparkle and Topaz. They all seem to be getting along with only Honey giving chase now and then but nothing nasty.

It will be interesting to see what happens at bedtime. I am hopeful that both new girls will perch on the coop roof so that it’s easy for me to put them to bed.