Aspen: a Dark Brahma hen
&
Enzie: a White Leghorn hen
Belong to ... Laura
Most people, when they think of a chicken, think of a rather flighty white feathery creature that has no
personality and even less intelligence. I've found that they are friendly little birds with loads of personality.
Chickens have come a long way since their origins in the jungles of Indonesia. Genetic engineering has brought
us hundreds of different breeds and colors of chickens. We have chickens with 'hair' instead of feathers, chickens
with feathers on their legs and extra toes, some with crests, some with no feathers on their necks, some
with single combs and still others with rose combs. There is a rainbow of colors, too! Silver-laced,
golden sebright, pencilled, partridge, black-red, columbian, barred, buff, cuckoo, mottled, red, lavender,
blue . . .
Chickens actually have a very diverse language - they have different 'words' for ground predators, sky
predators, "Good food", "Come here", Get lost", SORRYSORRYSORRY! DON'T HURT ME!", "I'm on the alert",
and a myriad of other sounds that convery excitement, fear and contentment.
Chickens are omnivores and will eat almost anything. Although it isn't a staple food, bread is one on their favorites.
They also eat a variety of meats, cheese, yogurt, pasta, rice, old bananas, mice (it they can catch them),
black forest cake (MMmmm-whipping cream!), dog food, corn-on-the-cob, lettuce in my garden, bugs, worms, peony flowers,
stuff that gets forgotten in the back of the fridge ... and, of course, a proper laying ration to keep
them in top health.
Roosters are quite chivalrous and will spend a good deal of their time trying to impress the heck out of
their hens. If you give a rooster a piece of food, especially a favorite treat, like bread, he will make a
call that tells the hens that he has something good, and they should run over and get it. Of course,
sometimes this is used for less-than-honorable intentions, and the hen ends up getting bred (and bread) in the process!
Roosters will also protect their hens if they feel the hens are being threatened. They have long spurs on
their legs that grow up to 3 inches long. They use these both for fighting and protection. Fortunately, my
roosters are all big softies, and have never attacked me. Roosters all have very individual crows, and I
can always tell who is crowing just by the sound they make.
Well, this is just a 'taste' of chickens, but I hope it changes your mind about these great little birds.
If I could keep one in my house, I would, but aside from that fact that their poop is a little hard to deal
with, my other birds would be jealous. I always tell people that the chickens on my farm are special - they are
the top of the food chain, and they seem to know it!
Interesting website on keeping chickens as pets,
www.al.com/specialreport/mobileregister/?urban.html