When I went to open the adolescent chickens’ house by the back door I found that one of the hens had been out all night.  She was too frightened of the large Maran cockerel and preferred to take her chance outdoors than submit to his bullying indoors.

As soon as I let all the rest of the birds out of the house the cockerel frightened away several more hens who flew out over the fencing.  I let one of them run down the garden and eat breakfast with the Bantams.

I drew the line at allowing hens into Jeremy’s poly tunnel.

Tonight we will put the bossy young cockerel in with the mature birds and let the older cock sort out the young whipper snapper.