Hi Stevey
It isn’t that unusual to see several hogs together if you are feeding, especially if they may be related, i.e. older hoglets and the food is all in one place. Hoglets, in particular often seem to like sharing bowls to eat, even if there is an alternative bowl of food. Always lovely to see, though.
In general hedgehogs are solitary animals but we are, in effect, encouraging them to change their behaviour by encouraging them to gather together to eat. I suspect (most of them, at least) go their separate ways when they leave the feeding area – assuming that they have become independent from their Mother. How this may be effecting hog behaviour in the longer term is another mater.
If you are getting that many hogs at one time, I would be inclined to share the food between more dishes. That way the less pushy ones will have more chance of getting their fair share.
It may also be that the ones you mentioned which were coming out early, were in fact hungry and that was the reason. It could also explain why the larger numbers turn up earlier.
