Sun up and sun down....

I came out to visit before the girls were even off their roost this morning. They are usually up first, waiting to be let out into their yard. Lydia, Kitty and Elinor are on the first bar. Then Emma moved forward, leaving Harriet and Fanny in the back. The back roost bar is actually a branch from a tree that I thought would serve well, and so far it has.

Please excuse the zip ties that didn't get cut back- they do an excellent job of holding the layers of chicken wire together.

As interesting as their morning routine can be (especially when they fly from the roost out into the yard one by one), their evening routine is more drawn out and quite soothing to us. We like staying out while they sort themselves out and go to bed.

Emma, Kitty and Elinor getting settled in the grass.

Emma making a bed in the grass, with her eyes mostly shut and kinda listing to one side.

Harriet and Emma- it looks all snuggly and warm, but actually Emma kept getting up and moving to lay on Harriet. Harriet would move and get settled down and look....here comes Emma!

After about 20 minutes of getting comfy in the grass it gets dark enough for someone, usually Harriet or Emma, to call bedtime. Harriet, Emma and Lydia are always the first to go into the house. Then the comets take their time and will go in and come out several times. Harriet or Emma will come back out to give 'em a talking to about staying out too late- usually multiple times before she gets results. Emma is usually the last to actually get on a roost. Someone  usually gets knocked off by someone else trying to occupy the same spot on the roost, but eventually they all have a spot.

And then the sun comes up and it starts all over again.....