The hens not only have a choice of two houses but they also have a choice of two “runs” – the inner, night pen and the outer orchard run in which to peck at corn and scratch for insects.
In the evening we steer them home to the small run and, unlike children, they take themselves to bed in the henhouse as it begins to get dark. We then lock them in ( and lock out Mr Fox) ensure that they have drinking water and say “goodnight” to the girls. They seem well settled, are laying beautifully and we shall see how they react to sharing their runs with the ducks that we plan to acquire.