Yesterday afternoon, Gloria decided she was going to be the dominant hen.
Poppy let her.
Gloria hasn't done anything horrible, but she is in the pecking and chasing stage of establishing her domination. I'm beginning to wish I'd brought back one of the submissive youngsters instead, so that Poppy had a chance of being Top Chook.
I realise, however, that if poor old Princess (who would have been the submissive girl I would have brought back) was getting beaten up by Poppy I'd be wishing I'd brought back Gloria.
I'm clinging on to the fact that thgis is just a transition phase and that we might still end up with 2 inseparable friends at the end of it.
And, in all honesty, Gloria is the top chook. She's not called Gorgeous for nothing, she's inquisitive, calm, and I don't think she's got a mean streak. They may be hatch mates, and are definitely both beauties, but Gloria has the Indian Game bird genes and upright stance, whereas Poppy has inherited the Australorp ones.
Poppy isn't eating much. She rejected fish and cat food and corn and cucumber. She ate some pasta - I cooked some funny tiny pasta especially - but, whilst I was relieved she was eating something, I don't want her to eat only pasta.
The mealworms I ordered won't be here til Thursday (I managed, somehow, to choose next Thursday as a delivery date instead of last Friday). I was at Pets at Home at their opening time this morning to buy some live mealworms (what a rip off! £2.50 for 60 grammes!), and the two girls polished those off in one sitting.
I'm off to buy more mealworms shortly. There is a little reptile place (little place, rather than little reptiles) open this afternoon, o I can get some more to last today and tomorrow.
I have seen Poppy preening though, and I'm taking that as a good sign.
