Why Name that CHICKEN?

[Alexandra33]

I've named all 32 chickens and 9 ducks mainly because.....well, how could I not?

They are all so individual, interesting, and lovely in their own ways. Besides, none are destined for the freezer; rather, they are around to cuddle and hug!

@Bubbles12345 and @sophiaw00 , it's so awesome to see you both here!

-Alex

 

[Blooie]

did scout turn mean??? sorry i just had to ask....

Don't be sorry for asking! I can't say he turned mean. He had never ever shown any signs of people aggression in his life. Yet he came after me, badly bruising my hand and drew blood in one spot. There was a piece of plastic half buried in the litter in the run - I don't know if we just didn't see it when we put the last load of leaves in there or what, but I wanted to take it out. I reached down to grab it and BAM - he came out of nowhere and attacked. Any of you who knew me and Scout knew that that rooster was the closest I'd come to loving a chicken. He was unique and very special to me. But I have grandkids who are even more special to me, and I ask them to take care of my chickens when I'm gone. The last thing I'd want to hear out of Katie's and Evan's mouths would be that they were scared to go out to the coop and take care of the chickens, or worse yet to have them hurt out there. Then too, Kendra likes to be outside. What if something she had in her hands set him off? She'd never get away from him in her wheelchair, and could we react fast enough to prevent her from getting hurt?

Was his reaction to me reaching out for that plastic a fluke - something that might not ever have happened again? I have to say "Yes, probably" and that's what made culling him so difficult. This happened in the morning and I wrestled with the decision until late afternoon. I made excuse after excuse for his behavior even as I kept the ice pack on my hand. I owed him the benefit of the doubt. But even more important, I owe my grandkids a safe place to visit and work. So in the end I made the hard call, and Ken took care of it for me. I simply couldn't risk it. I miss him, but now that a few months have passed I know I did the right thing.

 

[BantyChooks]

Don't be sorry for asking! I can't say he turned mean. He had never ever shown any signs of people aggression in his life. Yet he came after me, badly bruising my hand and drew blood in one spot. There was a piece of plastic half buried in the litter in the run - I don't know if we just didn't see it when we put the last load of leaves in there or what, but I wanted to take it out. I reached down to grab it and BAM - he came out of nowhere and attacked. Any of you who knew me and Scout knew that that rooster was the closest I'd come to loving a chicken. He was unique and very special to me. But I have grandkids who are even more special to me, and I ask them to take care of my chickens when I'm gone. The last thing I'd want to hear out of Katie's and Evan's mouths would be that they were scared to go out to the coop and take care of the chickens, or worse yet to have them hurt out there. Then too, Kendra likes to be outside. What if something she had in her hands set him off? She'd never get away from him in her wheelchair, and could we react fast enough to prevent her from getting hurt?

Was his reaction to me reaching out for that plastic a fluke - something that might not ever have happened again? I have to say "Yes, probably" and that's what made culling him so difficult. This happened in the morning and I wrestled with the decision until late afternoon. I made excuse after excuse for his behavior even as I kept the ice pack on my hand. I owed him the benefit of the doubt. But even more important, I owe my grandkids a safe place to visit and work. So in the end I made the hard call, and Ken took care of it for me. I simply couldn't risk it. I miss him, but now that a few months have passed I know I did the right thing.

aww thats sad. very strange..... I couldn't keep a roo if he did that either. I am very glad none of my roos have been aggressive, I have had 7 roos now.

 

[BantyChooks]

I've named all 32 chickens and 9 ducks mainly because.....well, how could I not?

They are all so individual, interesting, and lovely in their own ways. Besides, none are destined for the freezer; rather, they are around to cuddle and hug!

@Bubbles12345 and @sophiaw00 , it's so awesome to see you both here!

-Alex

Thanks!

 

[Chaos18]

In general the ones that are going to stay have a name.....if I can tell them apart.....although I do have three SLW that are named Speeder (because as chicks they were hard to catch and that's the name my son came up with). Although if they have a name and turn out to be mean birds than they will be guests of honor at the dinner table and I will not be bothered by the fact that I'm eating a bird that used to have a name cause they will be delicious.

 

[EmeraldRuby]

I have named my roos, but the hens don't always have names. I have a buff Orpington named Floppy, because when she was a pullet, one of the hens bit her comb so now the back of it flops. Her 'sister' BO was called Not-Floppy

Saw your user picture and I thought I posted for a second! XD

 

[lookyhereboy]

I only named my main roo and I call him Cogburn. Don't name the others they are just livestock to me. We just butchered 4 nameless roos from our spring hatch.

 

[kristofandmama]

Mine are named - it's great fun. I let my son pick most of the names, but I had to get a few in there! We have 10 girls - each a different breed because we're beginners and I'm a sucker for beautiful plumage. My son felt compelled to name them according the the breed (but he was just four when we ordered them in the spring...)
Eastie (the Easter Egger,) Rocky (the Barred Rock,) Goldie (the GLW,) Astra (the Austrolorp,) Rhoda (the RIR,) Star (the Red Star,) Bluet (the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte,) Wellington (Welsummer,) Chickadee (The Speckled Sussex,) and Fraulein (the Silver Spangled Hamburg.) The last four are my names or named with my assistance

They are sweet and beautiful young ladies - we're waiting for our first eggs. I don't anticipate every sending any to the crockpot - but I'm not morally opposed to it.

 

[shortgrass]

I have named my roos, but the hens don't always have names. I have a buff Orpington named Floppy, because when she was a pullet, one of the hens bit her comb so now the back of it flops. Her 'sister' BO was called Not-Floppy

Ha-ha! I have 7 BRs, very hard to tell apart lol, except "Floppy comb"


ROFL @Maikan and @slipshift

Arm chair and Hoppy lol... How they end up with those... I have a Holeyear, with one ear ha-ha... bad pun for Evander Holyfield lol

Awww @Blooie I didn't know you had to cull Scout my condolences to you dear! Such a hard call, but you did the right thing. I'm glad my DH takes care of that too; I could never do it, name or no name, planned for the dinner table or not, I cannot seem to bring myself to kill a chicken.

 

[Maikan]

The funniest names my Kids have come up with for the chooks apart from Arm Chair are Fire Ball, Worm Dancer, Big Chick for a huge Speckled Sussex rooster, Burp, Little Burp, Spindle Box, Spindle shanks, Funkeystein came about from Frankenstein due to the rooster scalping himself n the stitches he had over the top of his head. Oh yeah n my Maran Rooster Tiddler who they also named Sexy Foots. At times I sure wonder what go's on in my girls minds lol.