It's taken many, many weeks, but peace has mostly broken out. The one cloud on the horizon is that Poppy, 9 years old, has been broody for the entire peace process, and will not be happy when she finally rejoins the flock.
I'm not entirely sure who is in charge now.
All 3 Cubes are in use at night and, with some exceptions, the occupants change around a bit. It seems OK.
All the girls, even Nora (the oldest at nearly 10, and blind in one eye) come down to the front of their area now. They dustbathe in the massive craters they have excavated. Hens that were bitter enemies are dustbathing together. The small breakout groups that go and sit in other saded parts of the garden chop and change, which suggests that some sort of accorde has been achieved.
The turning point was when we connected the two runs. There was something psychological in them not being separated when shut in that forced them to realise they were one flock.
There is still squabbling, and the occasional bad tempered peck and chase, and I've seen a few pecked combs.... but I've not seen any of the "to the death" cockfighting that we had originally.
There are still too many of them for the area of grass... this pic
was taken a couple of weeks ago, before the recent hot dry weather
scorched the grass.
They now have extra bowls with cold water refreshed a couple of times a day, and frozen peas put in. Lettuce, or cucumber, to help keep them hydrated. Baths for those that need it (or look like they need help in cooling down).
I'm pleased, for the first time, that we don't have chicks this year. Chicks in this heat are such a worry.
I'm pleased, for the first time, that we don't have chicks this year. Chicks in this heat are such a worry.
I'm not sure when we'll have chicks again, as a return to the allotment looks unlikely. The thieves have been again - nothing to steal now, just damage to be done.
