Cillin's day got off to a good start when Mel came to visit. She didn't come to lay an egg and spent about an hour with Cillin who was trying to catch up on his sleep behind the wood rack.
When Mel started to head out the door, I hoped that Cillin would follow of his own accord. Mel gave all the right signals, waited at the door for him and then waited by the maternity unit calling him but I had to physically evict him in the end.
Most of the rest of the day Cillin spent deep in the bamboo and it wasn't until the late afternoon that he came out and stood by me as I worked in the car port.
This was how Cillin spent his days after his mother and sister were killed by a hawk in quick succession. He would wait in the bamboo until I came outside to work and rush over to the work bench where I would feed him pieces of walnut from time to time.
Cillin was an orphan basically and after the death of his mother and sister had nobody to introduce him to Tribe 2 which his mother lived with. It's always been the mothers who do the introduction to the tribe ime and while Harold of Tribe 2 was his dad, he wasn't interested in having Cillin move in.
This evening was better once he was in the car port. He crowed a few times and Treacle didn't come after him and Hurry and Mel both came and stood with Cillin while I worked.
At roost time Cillin was close enough to see the hens but just far enough to easily escape if Treacle attacked. Treacle headed off to roost while Fat Bird, Mel, Fudge and Moon were still in my house hoping for treats. Cillin joined them as soon as he was sure Treacle had gone. Cillin called the hens to eat and let them do it unmolested, something Treacle just can't manage. Treacle makes a big performance out of this. He blocks the hens, particulalry Fat Bird and Fudge and makes it generally difficult for the hens to eat in peace.
Come dusk Fat Bird, Cillin, Fudge and Mel all headed off the roost. Cillin escorted them all to the coop and even went in for a moment, but came straight back out when Treacle started crowing. Cillin walked back to my house and after a bit of supper jumped into the nest box where he is as I type this.
When Mel started to head out the door, I hoped that Cillin would follow of his own accord. Mel gave all the right signals, waited at the door for him and then waited by the maternity unit calling him but I had to physically evict him in the end.
Most of the rest of the day Cillin spent deep in the bamboo and it wasn't until the late afternoon that he came out and stood by me as I worked in the car port.
This was how Cillin spent his days after his mother and sister were killed by a hawk in quick succession. He would wait in the bamboo until I came outside to work and rush over to the work bench where I would feed him pieces of walnut from time to time.
Cillin was an orphan basically and after the death of his mother and sister had nobody to introduce him to Tribe 2 which his mother lived with. It's always been the mothers who do the introduction to the tribe ime and while Harold of Tribe 2 was his dad, he wasn't interested in having Cillin move in.
This evening was better once he was in the car port. He crowed a few times and Treacle didn't come after him and Hurry and Mel both came and stood with Cillin while I worked.
At roost time Cillin was close enough to see the hens but just far enough to easily escape if Treacle attacked. Treacle headed off to roost while Fat Bird, Mel, Fudge and Moon were still in my house hoping for treats. Cillin joined them as soon as he was sure Treacle had gone. Cillin called the hens to eat and let them do it unmolested, something Treacle just can't manage. Treacle makes a big performance out of this. He blocks the hens, particulalry Fat Bird and Fudge and makes it generally difficult for the hens to eat in peace.
Come dusk Fat Bird, Cillin, Fudge and Mel all headed off the roost. Cillin escorted them all to the coop and even went in for a moment, but came straight back out when Treacle started crowing. Cillin walked back to my house and after a bit of supper jumped into the nest box where he is as I type this.
I’m glad he feels safe with you.
It means nest hunting.
