One day in October 2014 , my family ’s beloved big cat pass away . We expend nearly two days mourning the release before we discovered a new pet : chicken ! We researched their care and supplies they needed beforebuilding a coopfrom scratch in our backyard . It rent us a calendar month to complete , and then we dramatise two full - grown hen : Janet and Henny Penny . We had no theme that crybaby would be so amazing and playfulness . Both hens bestow so much joy to our lives for many years .
Henny Penny ended up outlive Janet , and we purchase three more chicks : Sweetie ( aBlack Australorp ) , Zippy ( aSilver Laced Wyandotte ) and Cocoa ( anAmeraucana ) . They grow up to be well carry except for Cocoa . She chased everyone ! We dedicate her away to a loving family where she expend the rest of her loving days . Henny Penny had an excellent life and passed aside from old age . We are very thankful she accompanied us for such a long time . At that meter , we were down to two chickens that were ( and still are ) inseparable .
Out of This World
After Henny Penny passed , we set about two biddy on the same Clarence Day that Perseverance , NASA ’s Mars rover , landed on the red satellite . In honour of that historic upshot , we named theNew Hampshire Red , Perseverance ( Percy ) , and the Ameraucana , Luna .
A yr later and our flock was getting along great . However , I need to raise chicks on my own that other chicken - devotee could “ adopt , ” so I buy four doll and all their supplies with my own money . I pick a Rhode Island Red ( Ginger ) , aBuff Orpington(Buffy ) , a Golden Laced Wyandotte ( Dotty ) and an Ameraucana ( Lou ) .
I thought I was rear four girls until realizing that Lou was a boy ! I would n’t have minded too much if we lived in the nation . But we live in the urban center , so Lou had to go to his assume family earlier . He now lives on a big farm .
With one cock out of the elbow room , there add up another , Buffy . I had the strongest trammel with Buffy from the start . Buffy would do a rooster dance every meter he saw me . A rooster dance ( aka tidbitting ) is a saltation rooster do to show fondness to their owners or hen . One time he even dug up an fishing worm and gave it to me .
I tried everything to keep him , even putting a rooster neckband on him . But it did n’t process . A couple weeks went by , and it was clip to say goodbye to Buffy . He currently be on the same farm as Lou .
Dotty dead looked very pale . She was the former out of the four but highly tiny for her strain . Never in six years have I ever seen a standard Gallus gallus her age that was so pocket-size . Her boldness was white , not the normal pinkish red , and she did n’t have a coxcomb . Dotty transcend away naturally in our arms . Our champion even tried to do CPR on her , but it did n’t lick . We presume that she was bear with an illness that made it difficult for her to grow .
Sour Experiences
While Gallus gallus - retention is fun and exciting , you also must deal with sick or wound chickens . allow ’s face it : That is unmanageable . A mint of people would just take the bird to the vet , but a peck of the time you still cease up with a drained bird .
We had that problem when our New Hampshire Red , Percy , dumbfound sick with rancid crop . sullen crop is awful to treat , and the smell is awful ! We had to ram her to shake off up whatever was troubling her breadbasket , fast for a day and no water for 12 hours . We also isolated her for a pair sidereal day so we could keep an oculus on her .
When she was capable to consume again , we gave her ferment ( intoxicate ) provender and let her recover . Do n’t occupy . She ’s still alive and absolutely well !
chicken are fun animate being to have and are always looking to explore . Buff Orpingtons are my preferent strain because of Buffy and Henny Penny . For people who are just fuck off into the hobby , I recommend Australorps , Rhode Island Reds and Orpingtons . They are hardy and gentle breeds that are outstanding to depart with . Also , if all goes wrong and you ca n’t get the stock you need , you ca n’t go wrong with Orpingtons .
Stella M. ( age 11 ) lives in California .
