![\"Freckles](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/freckles_and_rusty_try_mash_for_the_first_time.jpg\")
<\/a>Freckles and Rusty try mash for the first time<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"They](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/they_like_the-mash.jpg\")
<\/a>They definitely like the mash<\/p><\/div>\n
A little later Rusty was having a lovely dust bath. I have never yet seen Freckles having a dust bath.<\/p>\n
![\"Rusty](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/rusty_is_having_a_dust_bath.jpg\")
<\/a>Rusty is having a dust bath<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"Freckles](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/freckles_is_watching_her_but-not-attempting_to_join_in.jpg\")
<\/a>Freckles is watching but not attempting to join in<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"It's](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/its_almost_as_if_pebbles_and_freckles-are_standing_guard.jpg\")
<\/a>It’s almost as if Pebbles and Freckles are standing guard over her<\/p><\/div>\n
I am surprised that Pebbles and Freckles didn’t join in.<\/p>\n
At bedtime the three little girls went into the shed and jumped to their perch but the next stage is to get them to do it without my presence. They wait for me to go out to them each evening and run down to the bottom of the run towards me. They then follow me up to the patio area. While I watch over them they make their way in after all the bigger girls are already in.<\/p>\n
I think they wait for me because they know that I can protect them from the bigger girls who do a lot of jumping up and down from the perches and intimidate the little girls. I know that the next stage is for me to withdraw and leave them to do it on their own and then check on them later.<\/p>\n
It is very hard not to watch over them though. I know that I will have to move on to the next stage but I don’t want to rush it.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/the_three-little_girls_at_bedtime.jpg\")
<\/a>The three little girls at bedtime<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"Are](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/what_are-you_looking_at.jpg\")
<\/a>Are you looking at me!<\/p><\/div>\n
At least they wait for me and then go in, rather than trying to perch somewhere in the run, so I feel we are almost there. I can’t blame them for feeling intimidated by the bigger girls and my instinct is to be there to protect them but I know that at some time they will need to be able to do this by themselves in case we need to go out for an evening.<\/p>\n
We don’t go out often but it would be good to not have to worry if we did want to go out. I think I will try to gradually progress this over the next week but I am not in a rush. I am pleased with how far they have progressed already and I am sure they will get there in the end.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Today I decided to try Freckles and Rusty with some mash as a treat. We have had them a month now and when I tried them with mash when we first had them they didn’t know what to do with … Continue reading