The newbies are settling in to their temporary home, very well.#
One of the Araucanas, provisionally named Olga, seems to b ethe matriarch. She calls the others over, like a mother Hen, when she finds a tasty morsel. She also worked out how top operate the treadle feeder very quickly. I think she has a bit of trouble seeing, and that may be because she has some feathers over her eyes.
The other Araucana, provisionally named Odette, is a sweetie. She's bottom of the trio pecking order, and is likely to be bottom of all 10 when they are combined later. She has, possibly, learned how to use the treadle feeder.
Both girls are lovely natured. They don't want to be picked up, but they are learning to tolerate it when they are given treats.
The thrid girl, a palomino Vorwerk provisjonally named Ophelia, is even less people friendly than her two sisters. She hasn't been able to work the treadle, she's determined to be number 2 in the pecking order and is dominating Idette at every chance she gets. She's yong though, and I hope that she will settle down. She's a pretty thing, but handsome is as handsome does.
They have been ere 2 weeks now, and in the last couple of days IO've opened up their outside run so they can have a look around the garden. They haven't gone far.
The Oldies are Not Happy about the incomers. The Newbies have been in a flock all their lives, so they have no comprehension of what joining a flock means.
Ophelia wandered a bit close to the Oldies netted area, and there was a bit of a battle through the netting between her and Poppy (my ancient, 11 year old, hen). Poor Ophelia also encountered Fay, who was on one of her usual excursions out of the Oldies area. I stepped between them after a minute or so, and things cooled down.
I'm not looking forward to putting them all together.
The cats are very wary of the newbies, and have been trying to put on a show for them. The Newbies weren't too sure at all about these monsters roaming around, and alarm-called loudly for the first fewe days. Now the cats elicit just a small alarm call when they appear
The cats go into the netted area whenever they can (especially if either of us is out in the garden), where they make a big show of not being bothered. Until we go in.
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| Lewis (cat) and Odette |
