Peaches and Barley’s first day

I let the chicks out at quarter to five this morning

The one of the left is the biggest of the two and is also the top girl of these two as she lightly pecks the other one if she gets in her way. I have decided the bigger girl is Peaches and the little one is Barley. I don’t know how I will tell them apart if Barley catches up but maybe their personalities will show by then.

Honey and Amber were identical when little but as they grew up they became more and more different.

Topaz had a brief look at them through the wire

They soon found the food

Peaches and Barley explore

Last night at the same time as the main flock settled into their usual positions Peaches and Barley also realised it was time to settle for bedtime. Instead of going into the coop though they got very agitated and started flying at the top of the dog crate.

I realised that they must be used to perching at bedtime and were looking for the highest spot. For their safety I put my arm into the dog crate causing them to run into the little coop and then I shut them in.

I removed the dog crate and set up the feeding station for the morning.

Peaches and Barley find somewhere to perch

Quite often through out the day Peaches and Barley would be perching on the top of the hatch between the two runs. I had to take this through the wire because as soon as I open the gate they jump down.

I realise that after last night they may not go into the little coop to bed so I needed another plan.

My husband has now put up another perch just above where they are sitting in the photo above. I hope that if they choose to roost on top of the hatch or on the perch above the hatch I can wait until after dark then lift them down and put them in the little coop.

The other thing that may be causing this is that although there are four perches in the main coop there are no perches in the little coops (they are only used for integrations and extra nest boxes) so I have now put a temporary perch in their little coop. It’s only a narrow cling film box but it may do the job for now. Of course they would have to go into the little coop first to see it but if they perch outside they may find it when I put them in.

We will have to wait until tonight to see what happens but I am sure we can work round it. I am used to lifting sleepy girls down into the coop.

They seem very settled in their new home and have been scratching around, feeding, drinking, sitting in the sun or sitting on top of the hatch.

The main flock haven’t taken any notice of them at all and I am very pleased with how it is going so far. They are very cute and very beautiful.