MY CURRENT FLOCK MEMBERS:

Frida Kahlo Chicken (a.k.a. Frau Frida) – Black Sex-Link 

Frida was hatched in May of 2012 and was the first chicken I ever owned.  I caught her at a Fourth of July celebration chicken round-up. She is my bossy, dominant chicken who likes to crow like a rooster from time to time, much to the displeasure of my neighbors.  She tends to pick on poor Beatrix.

Coco Chicken (a.k.a. Cuckoo Coco) – Cuckoo Maran

Coco is a singularly minded Cuckoo Maran that I bought as a chick in March of 2013.  I bought both Coco and Bebe to become companions for Frida.  After Amelia’s death left Frida all alone in the coop, she took on some very odd behaviors (e.g. crowing like a rooster).  Coco and Frida get along well.  Coco seems to be a bit fickle in her alliances as she sometimes prefers the company of Frida and at other times, Bebe.  Her changing nature leaves either poor Frida or Bebe to feel like the third wheel.  Coco however, is never the third wheel.  She is my most skittish hen and generally dislikes being held and petted. She also has this very unusual chittering sound that she makes.

 Beatrix Chicken (a.k.a. Bebe) – Welsummer

Bebe is a sweet little chicken that I got as a baby chick in March 2013.  She is by far the most docile of my girls and tends to get punished by Frida a bit, particularly at night on the roost.  Coco generally sleeps between the two and thereby creates a buffer for poor Bebe. Beatrix is a bit of a genetic mess as she has small feather growing out from in between her toes.  She also has yet to lay me a normal egg.  She does not lay very often and so far, when she does it is a leathery, soft-shelled mess.  I am patient with her and hope that she will come into her own as she ages.

FLOCK MEMBERS NO LONGER WITH US:

Sally Chicken (a.k.a. Big Sal) – Silver-Lace Wyandotte (Rooster, Oops!)

Sally was the other chicken caught at the Fourth of July celebration chicken round-up. Sally was also likely hatched about May of 2012.  Sally unfortunately was really a Salvatore and learned to crow quite loudly to the dismay of my neighbors.  “Big Sal” now lives outside of the city limits on a farm where he presides over about 25 hens and is very content from what I am told.

Amelia Chicken (a.k.a. The Bearded Lady) – Araucana (green egg-layer) 

Amelia, who was more often than not, called “Araucana” or “The Bearded Lady” was a beautiful Araucana hen that I bought as a chick in July of 2012.  She was bought with Sylvia to round out the numbers in my flock to a healthy four chickens.  Amelia was Frida’s best friend.  They would spend all day together side-by-side in the sun eating bugs and grass and trying to occupy the same dirt bath space at the same time.  Amelia unexpectedly died in June of 2013.  Amelia died of unknown causes – I believe that she had a freak falling accident, but am unsure.  She is a dearly missed chicken.

Sylvia Chicken (a.k.a. Cry Baby) – Black Silkie (Another Rooster, Oops!) 

Sylvia was a gorgeous black puff of down that was bought in July of 2012 with Amelia to serve as flock mates with Frida and Sally.  Though Sylvia was the most adorable chick, she (he, actually) complained and cried everytime you picked her (him) up.  The more she (he) fussed about getting held, the more determined I was to love and cuddle the complaining right out of this chick.  My plan worked and Sylvia became my most loving chicken of all.  It was truly heartbreaking the day that she (he) decided to start crowing and reveal his masculine side.  Sylvia Rooster was placed in a new home outside of Boise with a kind family who owned several other breeds of chickens – including other Silkies.  I miss Sylvia and would like to try again and get another Silkie, but I am hesitant since the chicks cannot be sexed and it is a poor gamble as to what gender you end up with.