Kevin: The rescued Sumatra who may have rescued me

Halloween day, I snuck out a young pullet who was almost cannibalized to the point of no return to my home where she reins as Queen. Ever since she first hatched she was destined for death either by other chickens, or the dinner table. Let's pass the long sad story of the beginning of her life and start with our drive home:

I had covered her in a blanket and drove her home. She was so weak she couldn't even move the blanket. Now, I had zero plans for a chicken. I didn't even want a chicken, nor my family. I was all alone with a battered pullet but there was no looking back for me. I came home and set up my Mastiff's old crate, filled it with fake hay from Halloween décor, and put her inside with a bowl of water, scoops of grass, and a handful of grain she had from the barn. I named her Kevin, first as a joke when I met her, but after I rescued her, I named her Kevin from the bird in the Pixar/Disney movie 'Up'.

That winter she stayed inside. Free to roam the basement, she ate all the spiders in the cracks but left a mess for me to clean each day.

I think our biggest milestone, and my happiest memory of us so far is when I taught her what the outdoors really was. Vividly I can paint the image in my head still: the spring wind ruffled her feathers and pushed her around since she's never been in the wind. She pecked the ground for grit and slowly made her way over to me. Months of walks around the house, treats, and of course love, she soon was able to go outside without me calmly, then come back when she was ready to go to sleep.

I couldn't feel happy with just one chicken. It wasn't a selfish need for more, but a need for Kevin to have company. Living in solitude is no way to live, so I went and bought two Seramas and a Silkie rooster from a member on BYC! Kevin hated them for a long time, but the little rooster persisted. He let Kevin antagonize him, and peck him, but he still followed her. Today they are inseparable and share the reinvented dog cage at night. Kevin and Toto rule the yard and have formed an alliance like soldiers. Kevin leads the way, and Toto guards it. Kevin still doesn't like the seramas much, but Toto steps between fights and allows everyone to graze happily all over the four acre yard.

I just love happy endings! She's been such a life changer, I've written reports for almost every class applicable for a chicken sob story.


A beautiful shot of her on a summer day in the backyard!
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