I started by opening the nestbox and shaking powder over Custard who was, up to that point, dozing quietly in one side of the nestbox (we have a home made partition in our Cube nestbox). She burbled and sneezed.
Tilda, who is bottom of the 5 Big Girls and, understandably, does not want to be bottom of 7 was perched on the other side of the nestbox with her bottom overhanging the next box and her front overhanging the roosting bars. I dusted her next, and she complained loudly.
I wrenched open the roof - surprising how loud it is in the dark - and aimed some powder at Poppy. Lotti ran off. I couldn't reach the others with the tub, so I poured some out into my hand (top marks for foresight, I was wearing a head torch) and then fuffled the feathers of Florence, Roobarb and Milly. They all got up and moved to the pop hole. I caught Lotti and dusted her.
There was a lot of squeaking and chuntering. I shut the roof quickly and turned off the light. A bit of scrabbling. Then silence.
Fingers crossed.
The Littlees were in the back corner. Hope there isn't trouble in the morning, as they won't be able to get out past the three that were fighting to sit in the pop hole doorway.
Maybe I'll get up before it gets light. Maybe. Good intentions, and all that.
Watch this space.
