Derperella, the (weird) Faverolles, & Friends

[drumstick diva]

Derp has been exhibiting wry neck and a craving for eating stones

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Derp has been exhibiting wry neck and a craving for eating stones

Oh no! D: I hope she'll be okay!

 

[EdenCamp]

If Derp is getting stoned I hope she has a medical script.

Do hope she recovers. Best wishes.

 

[Dowie]

That sucks about Derp. I hope she will be ok.

 

[fishnet1971]

crossing my fingers and saying a prayer for our Derp! Get well soon!

 

[froggiesheins]

I know they say, no news is good news, but Nambroth, how is our dear sweet Derpie doing?

 

[Fluffballs]

Froggiesheins, updates on Derp are posted on this thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/752543/rooster-with-mass-in-neck-possible-tumor-thymus-response-mareks/220#post_11023296

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Derperella t-shirts and books??! I never even contemplated the idea! It makes me laugh..! If you folks really want them, though, I could see what I have time to do...

Derp is always very friendly to all the other chickens. She does not peck or challenge them. Why would she need to? Everyone and everything is her friend.
Unless it's food. Then it's just food.

Derp often loves cuddling up to the other pullets. She loves to wipe her beard on them repeatedly; surely this is how you are supposed to tell your friends that you like them. Wet-chicken-beard wipe once, twice, three times, four...
Coho, the other salmon faverolles, seems fairly complacent at being beard-wiped. Chickadee, the super clever barred rock, often watches Derp.
You can tell that she is often not sure how to feel.

On the roost, again smart little Chickadee observes Derperella. Derp doesn't seem to notice... she's probably thinking about cotton swabs. Mmm. I bet one would taste good right about now.

It was about at this age that Derp started developing her 'big girl' voice instead of peeping all the time. The Food Lady calls this the "Lady voice", and Derp's was extra special, just like the rest of her. Derp likes to honk. Sometimes it's a simple "honk-honka-cluck". But more often it's a "Bwaaaaahonkahoooonk HONK HONNK D'HAWWWNNNK"
It's like a sweet melody.

A short video of Derperella.
In this video, she kindly assists Lorp (our uncreatively named Black Australorp, same hatch date as Derp) with her face.
Everyone needs help with their face, sometimes.
Lorp freezes. All the chickens freeze when Derp approaches. I think they are disturbed by her specialness.

"It's like a sweet melody..."

I'm re-reading the entire thread. It could take a number of days, but, judging by the laughs I've had so far, it's worth it. And you, Nambroth, are an EXCELLENT writer!

 

[Chickenfan4life]

It's true-- if Derp was human, she would probably be considered handicapped. I hope that none of you are bothered that I make fun of her-- truly, I mean no negativity by it. Me, my husband, my mother, all of my friends, and no few people online ADORE Derperella. I treat her with all of the love and care that I possibly can and am constantly making sure that she's okay despite her addled brain!

We love Derp, and though there is something wrong with her, we think she's fantastic.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The other chickens grew and learned things. Sunbathing, dustbaths, bug hunting, jumping on each other... all of the chicken games and duties.

Then, about two weeks later than everyone else her age, Derp learned these things too.

And lo, was it one day that she learned to dustbathe!

At first, Derp was unclear. Sit down. Shuffle. What next?

Right. You should roll, next. Rolling around is important.
Am I supposed to be in the sand??

After several long moments of rolling around in the hard dirt (which is not the most suitable place for dust bathing), the Food Lady carefully repositioned Derp in the sand.
A lightbulb came on! And... whummpa-whummpa-whummpa-whump... dust bathing happened.

A video of Derperella, Dustbathing:

After showing the above story to a friend of mine, she was kind enough to show me Derp in Another Universe. We joked that it is her Transformation Sequence.

When it happens some really exciting trance music plays. It floats over the hills to my chicken coop and everything sparkles like in Sailor Moon.

Oh, Derp, you had quite the surprise up your sleeve there, didn't you? Turning into bread...

LOL!

 

[CinnamonQueen]

Fud lady, you are probably really busy if you can't give updates on Derp, but if you have the time to squeeze in a sentence, please... We are worried!