Buck is still here, still rampaging, I have not cooked him, though he seems to have a misunderstanding about my motives.
Bit by bit, the new chickens have assimilated, they began flocking together during the day about 10 days ago, and now they all hang out together during the day, but night is another story.
Pearl realized that bullying the new hens was not only a good way to let off steam, but also to gain status. Now, no longer at the bottom of the pecking order of the original 4 hens which caused her to hide out on the porch or wander off by herself she is the top of another pecking order. This is ridiculous to watch, because she is about 2/3 the size of all of the B's.
For about 3 nights there were changes in the roosting habits. Bibs would stay out and bury herself under a bush or a bin or someplace, and one morning I found 2 chickens who had not gone in for the night. This is a dangerous path, though I'm all in favor of people thinking for themselves.
After this, I went back to doing a beak check.
I had stopped, because one night I opened the chicken door and Buck lunged at my face. I slammed it in time, but won't do that again w/out a face shield.
I thought I had counted 4 hens & a rooster, then 3 in the other shed, but in the morning what I found was that Pearl had decided to roost in with the new chickens.
The 3 I had counted were Pearl, Becky and Barbie all clumped together in one mass of feathers at the far end of the tree branch, and I had not seen Bibs who I have now discovered, consistently roosts in the cat carrier where she lived during her rehab.
That morning, Buck blasted out of the chicken house as though shot from a cannon, rapidly followed by his remaining ladies, all gargling enthusiastically, and he was insistent on knowing what I had to say for myself about the state of the world.
Buck has been very unsettled by the changing arrangements. He doesn't like it when things are out of his control. He's like those dudes who lose their tempers because their socks are folded incorrectly.
I have taken to wearing a chicken wire sarong when I let them out in the morning.
Bit by bit, the new chickens have assimilated, they began flocking together during the day about 10 days ago, and now they all hang out together during the day, but night is another story.
Pearl realized that bullying the new hens was not only a good way to let off steam, but also to gain status. Now, no longer at the bottom of the pecking order of the original 4 hens which caused her to hide out on the porch or wander off by herself she is the top of another pecking order. This is ridiculous to watch, because she is about 2/3 the size of all of the B's.
For about 3 nights there were changes in the roosting habits. Bibs would stay out and bury herself under a bush or a bin or someplace, and one morning I found 2 chickens who had not gone in for the night. This is a dangerous path, though I'm all in favor of people thinking for themselves.
After this, I went back to doing a beak check.
I had stopped, because one night I opened the chicken door and Buck lunged at my face. I slammed it in time, but won't do that again w/out a face shield.
I thought I had counted 4 hens & a rooster, then 3 in the other shed, but in the morning what I found was that Pearl had decided to roost in with the new chickens.
The 3 I had counted were Pearl, Becky and Barbie all clumped together in one mass of feathers at the far end of the tree branch, and I had not seen Bibs who I have now discovered, consistently roosts in the cat carrier where she lived during her rehab.
That morning, Buck blasted out of the chicken house as though shot from a cannon, rapidly followed by his remaining ladies, all gargling enthusiastically, and he was insistent on knowing what I had to say for myself about the state of the world.
Buck has been very unsettled by the changing arrangements. He doesn't like it when things are out of his control. He's like those dudes who lose their tempers because their socks are folded incorrectly.
I have taken to wearing a chicken wire sarong when I let them out in the morning.
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Glad to hear from you, but criticisms will be ignored. It's the beauty of the web. I will answer all friendly remarks. Buck handles the rest.