When I was planning to get chicks for the first time two years ago, many people asked if I was planning to name them. In fact, mostly people strongly insisted I should *not* name them. Even when I said they'd be pets. And have a retirement plan. I understand people who have no interest in naming their chickens, but what it came down to for me is the honest reason I was getting chickens. The eggs are a nice bonus, but the joy I get out of them is almost completely due to enjoying their personalities and taking care of them and hanging out with them. Much like my other pets. So given this, I would enjoy them less as individuals if they did not have names.
Full disclosure: I also name our cars. So I am clearly somewhat delusional about the name thing. I would argue that the chickens have more personality and individuality than the cars. (OK, the cars have no personality, no matter how much we see it in them...) But if you are a non-namer, feel free to dismiss my arguments based on the fact that I also name inanimate objects. (Which I also enjoy more when they have names).
I have a theme for the chickens' names that adds a lot to my chicken-owning joy, although it would add to the heartache I'm sure if I have to cull... They are all named after female relatives from my side or DH's side. Only one of said relatives is still on this earthly plane, and she (my Aunt Edna) not only agreed to have a hen named for her but said, "If you need another name, my middle name is Lucinda." Done. (Eventually we lost Lucinda to a predator, and having to tell my aunt about this is possibly an argument against using living relatives.) But Edna the Silver Sebright has always been the sweetest and cutest of all the chickens, and my aunt enjoys hearing the Edna stories. (Lucinda was a Golden Sebright and also a sweetie).
Our other hens' names:
Maude, a Black Star, named for my maternal grandmother.
Bonita, EE, after another aunt of mine.
Clara, EE, for my paternal grandmother (Clara the chicken died this spring to a mysterious but fast-acting sickness).
Elnora, BO, for DH's great aunt.
Henrietta, GLW, for DH's mother.
Betty, NHR, for my mother.
Martha, unknown variety, for DH's maternal grandmother (Martha the chicken was lost this spring to an attack by stray beagles).
So I have had my losses, but this has not yet made me reconsider naming future chickens. I have plenty of relatives left on the family tree. (My mother would have been so proud that I am finally taking some interest in family genealogy!) Sometimes I consider raising some meaties, don't know if I will do it or not, but I would try to restrain my naming tendencies in that case..
