Why do a lot of people give their chickens "little old lady" names?

[Shannon33]

I am NOT judging because I do it too sometimes

I am just wondering how this all started.
And my apologies to anyone who has a "little old lady" name, no offense is meant, and besides, a lot of them are quite lovely

 

[eenie114]

Chickens are frumpy and fussy?

I have no idea. But I have an Anne, Catharine, Jane, Rosalind, etc.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

All of my girls have old lady names ( except chuck who was formerly Dorothy. She is a hen, I don't know how she came to be called chuck.) it just seems traditional. Lucy, darla, Agnes, midge, chuck, Peggy, Priscilla, and prudence. Plus the new roo Petey!

 

[Bantimna]

Just as humans, chooks also have their grumpy ladies. I must admit I do love the "little old lady" names, though names such as Cluckchick or Bigchick (no offence intended to anyone who favors the name being used a an example), sounds just like a old man's beard you hasn't been washed.

 

[Camelot Farms]

LOL....just the opposite here. Only the roos get names unless the hen does something to earn her name.

And, NO. My roosters do NOT have little old lady names.

 

[chickensioux]

I like the old lady names. I have a few, they fit. I'm all over the map with names tho'. I choose names for all kinds of reasons, color, behavior as a chick, etc.

 

[michickenwrangler]

I guess i's a tradition back from the old days. I'm a little more creative, but my mom has a good list of "chicken names" gleaned from the local rural cemetery:

Ethel
Irene
Alta
Elmira
Adelaide
Myrtle
Maud(e)
Hazel
Calpurnia
Hattie
Henrietta
Nellie
Hortense
Doris

She has more, but this is all I remember

 

[juliechick]

Well, I don't name mine common names like Jennifer or Stephanie because I know people with those names. I don't know anyone named Ethel or Bertha. Most of mine end up with names like Lemonhead, Lightning or Shadow anyway since an 8 year old names them. But I do have a roo named Mike after the guy I got him from.

Besides, those "old" names are more fun.

 

[carolinagirl58]

Well, if you are naming hens, then you HAVE to have one called Henrietta. And it sort of escalates from there I think. A chicken named Jessica would be just odd!

 

[aprophet]

really varied here I have a willie and kate and chuck and princess and queenie I also have fragile and pooky and mookie and stinkie this is what happens when grandkids name birds