This afternoon I decided to show the new girls the other side of the run. I put them and Pebbles on the patio side and the other girls on the new girl’s side. I wanted the new girls to gain in confidence and explore the other side of the run.
Having realised how important the water bottle is to the new girls I turned it round to be in the same position but on the other side of the wire. It was the first thing they went to. I put the other water bottle on the patio area.
They have found the water on the other side of the wire
Meanwhile Pebbles was checking out the new girl’s food and water which I had moved to the patio area.
Pebbles finds the new girl’s food very attractive
Does she need to stand in the dish!
She tries their water bottle too
I put the new girls in the chicken shed so that they would know where it is. They came straight back out and returned to the garden part of the run.
The new girls look tiny on the patio area
They explore the other side of the run to the bottom end
They seem to be happy exploring the further parts of the run. Rusty is never far behind Freckles. Sometimes Freckles gets further away, then Rusty notices and rushes at speed to catch up with her. She doesn’t like to let her out of sight.
Rusty acts as if she is Freckles chick. She pushes herself under her and follows her every where and puts her beak against Freckles beak constantly. At first we thought it might be because they had been used to the water bottles and therefore used to beak to beak contact at the water bottle. A few days later, Rusty does this all the time to Freckles, so it seems that it isn’t a water thing, but is just a chick behaviour.
A lot of beak contact
And again
A close up of Freckles and Rusty
They are very much together but it is definitely a case of Freckles leading and Rusty acting as her chick and following and trying to be as close to her as she can. They seemed fairly confident on the new side of the run though, which is a long way from their first day of not wanting to leave the safety of the little coop.
Before bedtime I switched sides again but once more I felt that Freckles wanted to be on the other side. She stood on the little coop roof, twisting her head upwards, looking for somewhere suitable to roost. The other girls had all gone into the chicken shed so for safety I put Freckles in the little coop with Rusty and closed it.
Tomorrow afternoon I will mix all the girls together and try to speed on to getting them sleeping together because I feel Freckles is ready. We have come such a long way in just a few days. I think these two are settling in really well.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
I love the beak to beak contact – how sweet!! Rusty does look like Freckles’s little duckling chick as you said! xx
You hit the nail on the head, she does indeed. xx
Do Pebbl es like to spend time with them?They certainly seem to be very close.I hope they will all three sleep together when the time comes.
Pebbles doesn’t seem to be too bothered either way. She doesn’t seek them out or avoid them. She just accepts them. I have had the whole flock together this afternoon. Post to follow soon.