Yearly Archives: 2013

Owly

Owly’s funny personality was immediately obvious. Even as a week-old chick, she looked curious and she looked up. She also had the markings of a round-eyed owl, hence her name. Owly is not the prettiest Ameracauna, but she does have the heart of a clown, and her expressions are endearing. Hatched March 29, 2013.

Beatrix

Beatrix is an Ameracauna with a classic face muff and gorgeous feathering, and what looks like a necklace around her neck. She is, like most birds of this breed, aloof but not flighty. She is named after Beatrix Potter. Hatched March 29, 2013.

Misty

Misty is a Blue Andalusian. She doesn’t look anything like her namesake, Misty of Chincoteague; perhaps I should have named her Stormy, for another horse in that book series. I read every one of Marguerite Henry’s horse books, and this hen is my way of acknowledging those classics. Although this Misty has slate grey feathers, she will lay white eggs. Hatched March 29, 2013.

My Leghorns

Tillie Lays an Egg was inspired by a diminutive Bantam White Leghorn named Snowball. She was friendly and an independent thinker, and I enjoyed having her around so much that I got three more Bantam White Leghorns, Coco, Eggers and Betsy Ross. They were charming birds, but none with the spunk of Snowball. Betsy, however, was a great school visit hen until her retirement last year.

I’ve heard very good things about full-sized Leghorns, and so ordered two white and two brown in the batch from McMurray. It was clear from the first week that these were speedy chickens, with places to go and things to do that did not include me. They did not act like the bantams that I knew and loved. Still, I decided to keep one, if only to have a bright white bird with a brilliant red floppy comb in the flock. I’ve named her Twiggy, as she is stylish, leggy and lean. At only 9 weeks of age, Twiggy already dwarfs Betsy.

leghorns

 

Betsy is fascinated by another white chicken. We’ll have to wait and see how this relationship develops. So far, it’s been one-sided. Twiggy has no interest in  getting to know the older generation.