Progress

Things are progressing really well with the flock. I wonder how much stress has effected Amber’s egg laying problem. When Bluebell was re-homed Amber really improved for a while possibly because Bluebell wasn’t there to bully her any more. Her egg shells improved for a few weeks.

She soon returned to laying soft shelled eggs and looking unwell before laying but at the same time was getting plucked by Pepper and pecked on the head.

Since Pepper and Dotty have been re-homed she has looked much happier and much more relaxed. Her comb has become more red. For the first time we have seen her doze with her head under her wing. Amber has never done this before. Dotty used to sleep with her head under her wing and Topaz and Sparkle sleep with their head under their wing but we have never seen Amber do this. Since Pepper and Dotty have gone we noticed that Amber now snoozes with her head under her wing frequently. She must feel so much more relaxed and is not worried about getting her head pecked while snoozing.

Amber with her head under her wing

We often find Amber snoozing like this which she has never done before. This is a more relaxed Amber and is lovely to see. If anything makes me realise that I made the right decision for the flock this is a part of it!

I wondered where the girls would roost last night. I went in to them just after dusk and as usual Topaz was in the coop, Honey and Amber were on the coop roof, Sparkle was on the top of the cabinet, all usual so far. Toffee was with Sparkle on the top of the cabinet and Emerald was on the box next to the cabinet where my coop shoes are stored.

At least they were all in the same area.  I lifted them all down into the coop with no problem.

We have decided to re- install the high perch across the corner behind the coop. The farmer said that the game birds like to roost high and they have roosted on a plant pot and my shoe box which are both small but high. We think it would be better for them to have a high perch that they could happily get used to using and  I could easily lift them from each night to put them in the coop. This is a job for tomorrow.