Good career move

Over the past few weeks we've noticed that Maggie and Tu-Tu seem to have developed a close friendship.   On reflection, this friendship seems to have sprung up since they shared a nestbox when they both went into broody mode.

Maggie and Tu-Tu a few weeks ago

These days, particularly when they are out in the garden, it's not at all unusual to see them side by side munching on the grass.

Of course it may be that Tu-Tu has an altogether more ulterior motive and has latched on to Maggie deliberately.   When Queen B was alive, Tu-Tu was second in command and had been right from the word go.   Queen B would issue an order, Tu-Tu would act as enforcer.   Back then, she had a lot of power.

About this time last year she went broody, so we got her some fertile eggs and removed her to her own quarters to incubate them and raise the chicks she hatched.   Her absence from the flock resulted in her plummeting down to the bottom of the pecking order.

Bit by bit, she has worked her way back up through the ranks.   Now that Maggie has taken charge of the No. 1 position, perhaps Tu-Tu has formulated a cunning plan.   I can't help wondering if this new closeness with Maggie isn't related to a shared nest box at all.   In reality, perhaps it's all part of her planned career progression.   

At the moment, Maggie is doing all her own enforcement, but it will be interesting to see how, and if, Tu-Tu makes herself as indispensable to Maggie as she was to Queen B.