goodinparts Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I seem to have hit a slightly bumpy patch in chicken life...All serene during FR time, with hybrids, February bantams & April bantams all happily integrated - though even then Hope, the lemon pekin, tends to be rather off on her own. But when it comes to bedtime, things get really tricky as her friend Charity, who is supposed to be sharing the with her, prefers the company of Prudence & Patience, the Barbu d'Anvers and insists on going to bed in the with them. This would all be fine if the hybrids were not uniformly horrid to Hope, refusing to allow her into the cube at all. Last night she spent perched on a branch we've added to the cube run....Tonight she put herself to bed all alone in the go - which seems a bit miserable. So...once everyone had settled down I moved her from go to cube - and am just hoping I've done the right thing. I'd hate to have left her there to be bullied but it seemed a Bad Idea for her to be all by herself.Have I got things right, or am I leaving the poor girl in the lions' den? Any advice welcome... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 What a sad picture you've painted, I feel really sorry for Hope. Perhaps you could try moving Charity into the Go if Hope continues to put herself to bed alone in there. Don't really know what else to suggest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henslaved Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I agree with Eggasperated, I would try moving Charity to be with Hope. If nothing else, it may at least put your mind at ease knowing that Hope is neither alone or being bullied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodinparts Posted April 9, 2011 Author Share Posted April 9, 2011 Charity had settled out of easy reach, with a wall of other chickens between us so I popped Hope in the cube but got up really early to let them all out. She came out with the crowd, and seems fine but is back to FRing on her own, though not being picked on. I think she's maybe rather dim & they just find her conversation a bit limited?! No of course I don't anthropamorphise about my chooks.... I'll hope she has the brains to put herself to bed with the others tonight, though it's now getting to the stage when the cube run will feel a bit crowded on non FR days. Such a shame chooks won't play according to my rules. I'm supposed to have 4 bantams in the go & 3 hybrids in the cube, with room for the 2 faverolles that will come later in the summer but at this rate I'm not sure what we do.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodinparts Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Hmmn....The more I watch, the more I doubt whether dear Hope has any brains at all. Last night purely by chance I managed to shut Charity in the with her. Tonight Charity put herself to bed nice & early in the so I tried Hope with one of the little Belgian girls, but she was so distraught at being separated from her sister that I had to relent so once they were all settled nicely I purloined Charity and popped her back in the with Hope. Should I give up letting them FR together? They are very happy as a combined flock, but I think Charity has a bit of a crush on the Belgian girls so won't be nice to Hope if they are around...and I can't bear the thought of Hope all by herself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Oh dear, poor little Hope! Could you try putting the Belgian girls in the Go with Hope at night and, maybe, if Charity is as starstruck as you think, she will follow them? If that works, I would make sure that they all sleep together for a few nights, until it becomes the status quo and Hope is part of the gang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Do you have a separate run on the go? Could you put them 2 in that for a few days? Maybe once they've got into the habit of going to bed in there they'll keep going in? Or you could put the lonely one in the go and get a new pekin to put in with her and start a new wee flock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Do you have a separate run on the go? Could you put them 2 in that for a few days? Maybe once they've got into the habit of going to bed in there they'll keep going in? Or you could put the lonely one in the go and get a new pekin to put in with her and start a new wee flock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
