Recently I have been in with the girls during their bedtime routine to observe their habits. I realised that the reason Emerald always roosts on the shoe box is because Honey and Amber don’t allow her on the big perch but she seems happy on the shoe box and now settles there automatically.
Sparkle has always settled on the store cabinet and after a few evenings on the big perch it seemed that Topaz found it tricky getting on and off of it. She decided she she would prefer to settle on the store cabinet with Sparkle and this has now become their habit.
Toffee however really likes to settle on the big perch but Honey and Amber chase her off. I felt so sorry for her as she repeatedly went to the big perch but Honey would march up to her and push her along or peck her leg until she flew down.
This would be repeated until eventually Toffee settled on the cabinet with Sparkle and Topaz.
After a couple of evenings of this I decided we needed another high bedtime perch. I could see Toffee didn’t want to be on the cabinet but she is intimidated by Honey.
Today we put in another perch crossing the right hand corner by the cabinet and I went in before bedtime to observe the girl’s behaviour.
Emerald as always settled on the shoe box and Sparkle and Topaz settled on the cabinet. Toffee soon found the new perch.
The new perch in the right hand corner behind the store cabinet
Toffee on the new perch but she is soon joined by Honey
Toffee gets moved off of the new perch and settles on the original perch
Honey goes over to chase Toffee from the original perch
Eventually Honey and Amber settle on the original perch
Toffee finally gets to settle on the new perch
I went back to check on them an hour later and they were all still in the same positions so I think this has proved successful.
As always the chicks were in their flower pots under their umbrella.
Peaches and Barley in their bedtime positions
They have roosted here every night for the two weeks they have been with us and at dusk I lift them down into their little coop.
Hopefully the new perch will make a happier bedtime for Toffee.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
I can’t believe that all your girls need to be up high.
Is that typical of bantams?
I think it is. The farmer that I got the wyndottes and the game birds from said they would go as high as they could and some of his go to the top of the apple trees. The barn he keeps them in at night had poop right up in the rafters so we could see that they roost high.
He agreed that unlike big girls I would never train them to go in a coop that is at ground level and that I was right to let them roost and then put them in the coop for peace of mind.
I think having bantams I just accept that they are different and that I will always have to put them in. Even the chicks did this from the first night.
Good job they are not in my garden .. They would be with next doors dogs by now.
The farmer did make sure I had a top on my run before I took them home. They wouldn’t make free ranging possible. I really love them though.