![\"Peaches](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/close_up_of_peaches_and_barley.jpg\")
<\/a>Peaches and Barley go to the cabinet at bedtime<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>A very scruffy Emerald is in her usual bedtime position<\/p><\/div>\n
Emerald has been moulting heavily and is looking very scruffy. When she stretches her neck she has loads of quills coming through.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The new bedtime line up<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Peaches and Barley are getting ready to join Toffee on the perch<\/p><\/div>\n
I love the way Toffee looks down at them. Toffee is also moulting but doesn’t look so tattered despite losing her tail. She also shows a neck full of quills when she stretches.<\/p>\n
Even the chicks are losing feathers getting ready for their adult feathers to replace the baby ones.<\/p>\n
<\/a>They are on the bedtime perch<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>They settle down onto the perch<\/p><\/div>\n
Their combs have grown and they had no wattles at all when we first had them but now they are quite big.<\/p>\n
<\/a>They settle next to Toffee as she never bothers them<\/p><\/div>\n
Bedtime can be a bit like a chess game for the chicks. They have to position themselves next to Toffee as she never takes any notice of them. Sparkle, Honey and Amber all chase them away. Topaz also doesn’t bother them but always perches near Sparkle, Honey and Amber who also chase Toffee away. This means it always end up with Toffee, Peaches and Barley together.<\/p>\n
I am always pleased when they have chosen their positions as I know they will then settle without any more chasing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Peaches and Barley have been with us for five weeks although it’s hard to imagine them ever not being part of my flock now. They are now eleven weeks old and going through what I think of as the teenage … Continue reading