This evening I went out to put the Girls away. As usual, I had some corn for the Big Girls (BGs) and some Garvo AlfaMix with a bit of Garvo treat for the Littlees (LGs). As usual, I went to the BGs walk in run first, and scattered the corn. The BGs rushed in, headed by Poppy. Lotti hoovered up corn around the outside.
I threw in some more corn and a bit of the Garvo. Lotti popped in. I thought about what to do. I was tempted to close the door, but it felt too soon to be forcing the issue. So, I pushed the door to, wedging a brick in to stop it closing completely. This would discourage the BGs from coming out again, but would leave an escape route for the LGs if the BGs noticed them and decided to chase them.
I stayed in the kitchen, but I could be seen by beady eyes, so I moved to the bedroom to watch them. Poppy and Lotti popped in and out of the BGs' run, but made no attempt to go back to their own. I decided that if they went into their own run, I'd go straight down and give them some corn and shut them in (they needed time to eat the corn to help keep them warm overnight).
It occurred to me that Poppy might stay in the BG run, and Lotti might not; she's much more timid. I decided I'd have to add her into in the Cube when it was dark, if that happened.
Dusk fell further, and still they were in and out in and out. Then they were out, but standing in the middle of the free range area looking as though they were having a discussion on what to do. They still made no attempt to go into their own run. Then they came and stood in their area, although not in their run. I decided that it would soon be too dark for them to eat, so I made the decision for them. I went downstairs, put the corn in their run and they ran in straight away. Then I shut everyone up for the night.
Good progress. I'll try the same thing tomorrow... and I'm moving the LGs' cube a bit nearer the BGs' cube tomorrow as well.
