A chicken in the doghouse!

Shakira is proving feisty.  So feisty in fact that I quickly got tired on Sunday of calling "Shakira!" across the garden.  Thanks to my lovely sister-out-law, L, and as a nod to the gold-winning Jessica, she is now Ennis.  Etta and Ennis, it has a nice ring.

Tiny (a Wheaten Old Game Hen, I finally found out) lays tiny white eggs and is happier to pose!

Not that it's changed her temperament.  Etta is a benevolent (and slightly lazy) top chook, you'll get a peck but she can't be bothered with much more than that or any sort of chasing about.  Ennis, on the other hand, is a bit of a bully and she really goes for sustained attacks on the little two, particularly little Tiny.  Etta doesn't get involved in restoring the peace (I miss Red, she'd have had none of this nonsense) and by last night I decided it was time that the little ones had a break; Ennis was sent to the doghouse!  Hopefully, by separating her out, the banties will get used to Etta and her odd peck, stop hiding in the coop for the majority of the day and then spend the short time they're out tearing up and down the run to get out of the way, jumping at the sight of a bigger chook (they completely panic) and trying to escape behind the hanging feeders (they're going to get hurt).  Etta is not happy, she and Ennis have bonded nicely, but she'll manage for a day or two and tomorrow the lovely Mr S is coming over to start the new run, one with plenty of nice high spots for the banties and maybe a hiding place or two.

Megs saying hello with her best low head like me approach.

No doubt they'll eventually sort themselves out, if not, Ennis is going to be replaced... or I could turn the dog run into a second coop and have more chooks!  I'd better make myself scarce when the boyf reads this; love you honey!  In the meantime I think I need to make my current  more bantie-friendly first, give them a chance to use their brains over the brawn of the larger two!