It's been a while: update and a success story

Hi all - been a long time since I was here. Hope all are well.
To reappraise:
- I've two neuetered girl ferals: Bubble (black, about 2 now) and Squeak (b/w, about 1 now)
- got them in September of last year when I was living on a farm. Within a few weeks, both girls happy as could be. Bubbs out and about all the time and taking treats from my hand, Squeaky showed herself at mealtimes and allowed a bit of petting
- moved in January to a very rural location - no barns, but nice size garden backing onto fields and woods. As attached to both girls, brought them with me and acclimatised them in the garden shed (sounds poky, but actually very spacious) for 4 weeks
- both girls, particularly Bubbs, absolutely hated me during their acclimatisation and generally hid from me, although I did get Squeaky to play with a wand toy now and again

Anyway, they've now been out and about for 2.5 months and we've had slow but steady progress. For the first 3-4 weeks, I barely saw them but food seemed to be disappearing. For the next 3-4 weeks, I saw them most days - but only after darkness fell - and there was one horrid 4 day period where Squeak didn't show at all. But in the last two weeks we've had Bubbs doing her occasional meows again, both girls appearing just before sundown (in general) and Squeaky starting to accept a little petting again. So for anyone who is wary of moving their ferals: yep, it ain't easy! It takes time and a lot of the hard work you've previously done might feel as if its been wasted. But be patient!
Next step - and a query for anyone more experienced than me - is when will they start to be comfortable appearing in daylight? I think they have half a dozen good hiding spaces around the property (mainly behind the hedges, under bushes and behind the shed), but it'd be nice to get back to where we were at the farm, which was 2 meals a day, morning and night (they'd always come running!). At the moment, they only eat in the evening - very feral, I know! Any and all ideas welcomed.

I was JUST wondering about you and the girls yesterday! I meant to post to your other thread, asking how things were going!

I'm SO glad things have gone.... relatively well, let's say. At least they're there and happy, and starting to forgive you.

I've never moved with ferals, so I really can't answer the question.

One of our feral kitties was living in a heated house we had for them over the winter. When putting out food, she'd come and rub up against my legs, though I couldn't pet her.

One of the other ferals is a very hissy pissy female, and Khol was very aggressive to poor Tabby (the one living in the heated shelter). So as soon as it got a little warmer, Tabby disappeared. I didn't see her for six weeks. I have a feral feeding station down the property for the ferals that are far more shy than those eating just outside our home (and because Baloo is so aggressive. ). I saw Tabby again - after six weeks! - at the farthest feeding station. She meowed at me - but kept a LONG distance. That was two weeks or so ago. I'm seeing her more and more, but she will NOT approach me, though she will talk to me to let me know she's there - and she's not hiding.

So... :dk:

I'm just confident it will happen at some point. :rub:

Another update.Things have developed for the better at quite a pace. When I last wrote, about 6 weeks ago, my concern was over how I was only ever really seeing the girls at sunset, when they 'came out of hiding' for their meals.We're now at the stage where:Bubble - is out and about a lot, both during the day and at night. I can get a little petting in on her but she isn't very fond in general. She has a spot in the garden - bizarrely, quite unsheltered, where she seems to love to sleep and groom herself. And she enjoys taking stick treats from my hand. Generally I'd put Bubble down as a slightly 'damaged' or 'troubled' cat; I think she was owned but ignored/ poorly treated at some point when she was very young. She'll do very friendly things occasionally like roll around on the floor in front of you when she knows a meal is coming, but there's always an element of caution to her behaviour. She doesn't hiss, spit or swipe, but she can seem 'warm' one minute and then run away and hide for hours behind the bush.Squeak - loves petting, but only while she's eating or getting ready for food. She is a purr machine and she's also coming out more during the day. She's a really, really lovely cat: watching her try to catch moths in the twilight is hysterical and you can she that she is basically just a big kitten (she was rescued with her feral Mom when she was about 12-13 weeks). So all is well and, best of all, the girls get along famously. They don't spend the day together (I think Squeaky sleeps in a spare cat box while Bubbs goes behind the hedge or dozes on the lawn), but when they meet up for food in the evening - and they are starting to come for food well before dark most days - they rub up against one another like crazy and are clearly very happy to see one another. Watching them play in the garden is fun; generally Squeak takes the lead (hiding behind plants and then pouncing on her friend!) but I did notice Bubbs playing with a little ping pong ball the other day. Very heart-warming.best to all, DB

This is such good news and I am so happy they are adjusting.  For awhile, my husband and I thought we were going to have to move (thank goodness, things worked out).  But I was worried sick about how I was going to move everyone.  This is encouraging news.  Thanks for the update!