You may remember that we brought outr first lot of refugees back from the allotment, the day lockdown was announced. This group comprised Violet, Elizabeth and Bott (who were hatched in 2018), Phyllis (Violet and Bott's mum or Aunt), and Annie (Elizabeth's Mum).
After a few days of having them separate, we joined them with the existing flock. Violet became #2 chook the day we combined the flocks.
Sometime later, we took Annie (who wasn't happy in the garden) and four of our Garden Girls to the Allotment. 2 of them (Summer and Blondie) were due to become allotenteers anyway, and it was a great opportunity to introduce them to a reduced flock before the Refugees went back. Faye and Sasha were causing a lot pof upset, so they went too to balance the numbers. Almost immediately, 4 girls were stolen (Summer, Blondie, Sasha and one of the existing Allotmenteers, a grey Dorking called Pong). We then had to bring ALL the remaining allotmenteers back to the garden.
Anyway. Since the day we combined her into the main run, Violet became number 2 hen. She forced Poppy (previous number 2) and Fleur out of the Cube, so they were always last to be allowed to enter. She refused entry to Phyllis, who straightaway started sleeping with the younger girls (Astrid, Sunshine and Sylvia).
Over the coming days, her sisters, Elizabeth and Bott, abandoned that Cube and went next door with Phyllis and the youngsters. The only people she allows in the Cube are Gloria (#1 chook, hanging on by the skin of her beak) and Fay (bottom chook of the old group). Even Poppy eventually started sleeping next door. Fleur initially tried going in the youngesters Cube, turfing them out, but I put a stop to that. Then she went through a phase of not wanting to in either Cube and having to be popped through the pop hole at night.
Violet. ot Violent as I started to call her, continued her domimation during the day.
A couple of nights ago, everyone (except Gloria, Fay and Violet) was crammed into the youngsters cube. I thought perhaps it was sorted.
Yesterday, a series of fights broke out. Full on, blood drawing, fights, between Violet and Bott! Bott has never shown signs of aggression before. Not only that, but Phyllis kept coming to Bott's aid, and jumped in on the fights. I let the fights play out, which was quite hard to do. Violet needed sorting out, and it would be helpful if the hens did it themselves.
Last night, we had the usual shenanigans. I watched on the camera, so I didn't influence what happened. Poppy tried to get in to Gloria's Cube, was refused entry, and went in the other Cube. Fleur tried both, was refused both, and got back on a perch in the run.
I went out, put Fleur on the floor, and told her to choose a cube. To my surprise, she tried the Violet cube. They wouldn't let her in, then the door shut (light sensitive). I opened the door, and encouraged Fleur up the ladder. She was still hesitating.
I opened the back of the Cube, and pushed Violet out of the way (I've done it before for Fleur). She was a lot more amenable to being moved, last time Violet and I had a bit of a battle.
And then I realised it wasn't Violet. It was Bott!
Violet was in with the youngsters!
