I've given up scooshing the littlees out of the nest box on to the roosting bars.
Custard, who now lays a teeny weeny egg most days, seems to be allowed on to the roosting bars with the Big Girls. So, I've decided to leave things as they are and see if coming into lay affords then roosting bar privileges.
Out and about, the Littlees still get chased away, but mostly things are OK. We can't decide whether poor little Roobarb (the Welsh Black) is bottom, or the disabled Matilda is bottom.
We've been trying to pick each hen up for a few seconds each day. Easier than it sounds. Custard is fine, she crouches as soon as I get near her. Florence, Matilda and Roobarb are much harder to get hold of. As are Milly and Delilah, the Big Girls. Lily and Daisy continue to be very cooperative.
I don't worry too much about having to leave them all shut in, but we do still have feeding and water stations everywhere.
Custard, who now lays a teeny weeny egg most days, seems to be allowed on to the roosting bars with the Big Girls. So, I've decided to leave things as they are and see if coming into lay affords then roosting bar privileges.
Out and about, the Littlees still get chased away, but mostly things are OK. We can't decide whether poor little Roobarb (the Welsh Black) is bottom, or the disabled Matilda is bottom.
We've been trying to pick each hen up for a few seconds each day. Easier than it sounds. Custard is fine, she crouches as soon as I get near her. Florence, Matilda and Roobarb are much harder to get hold of. As are Milly and Delilah, the Big Girls. Lily and Daisy continue to be very cooperative.
I don't worry too much about having to leave them all shut in, but we do still have feeding and water stations everywhere.
