Once upon a time a beautiful young hen moved to NOL-NOC Estates. She was a lovely little Silky mix and was chosen because she was said to be a nurturer. We named this sweet chick Elenore Hen after my sister because my sister is also a loving nurturer.Elenore Hen sat on every nest of the the other hens but she never managed to have her own clutch of eggs. Many will remember the stories of Elenore Hen actually claiming four kittens born in one of the nesting boxes. (She made Countryside Magazine with that story!)
Finally, after almost four years, Elenore Hen managed to hatch a little flock of her own. Her three chicks were names Mr. Gibson, Chicklet and Rebecca. No matter how hard Elenore tried to watch over these sweet chicks, a predator managed to pick them off one at a time. Elenore Hen immediately returned to a clutch of eggs and guarded them with her life. Again she hatched three chicks and they were identical to the first three so they were named Mr. Gibson II, Chicklet II and Rebecca II.
Rebecca II was nabbed almost immediately when Elenore took them for their first outing. Next to go, we regret to say, was Elenore hen herself. It was a very sad evening when Mr. Gibson II and Chicklet II returned to the hen house alone looking for their loving mother.
These two chicks managed to grow hale and hearty and Chicklet II turned out to be a big and beautiful Rooster. Mr. Gibson II turned out to be a small hen almost the same size as her little mama.
Here is Mr.Gibson II enjoying a life on the farm. She is almost identical to her mother in size and in temperament. Yesterday I noticed Mr. Gibson II was spending a great deal of time inside the hen house. Yesterday evening when I went to count the flock I was short one chicken. I was missing Mr. Gibson II. I shined the flashlight around and was happy to see her in the nest box on a little clutch of eggs.
It appears that Mr. Gibson II is going to be a loving nurturer like her mother. We're hoping to keep and eye on interesting developments and will keep you posted. To avoid confusion in the future we'll try to refer to this little hen as Gibson.
I love their names! How do you come up with them?
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet story!
ReplyDeleteI loved this story, but I hate the part where predators get some of them. Poor things. But that is the way of nature. I love the names you give your chickens!!
ReplyDeleteI was reading about your using gophers to pick things up with. I have a couple and I have used them to pick trash up from the yard that people so rudely toss out of their cars as they drive past. I have used them to catch a snake with too. Makes a great thing to pick up a snake and remove him to another place!
Congratulations on your continuing weight loss!!!
Riot Kitty -- Bloggers sometimes name my new chickens. Lucy named Mr. Gibson and Renie named Chicklet. I can't remember who named Rebecca.
ReplyDeleteBeverly -- It is delightful for me to see Mr. Gibson setting on a nest just like her mama used to do.
Rachel -- I'm glad to know I now have a reason to keep the gopher close to get rid of snakes. It was good to see you here. I'll have to go check if you have a new post.
What a touching story, Annie. What great photos - Gibson is beautiful! How sweet that she takes after her Mom. I'm so glad she was okay!
ReplyDeleteGibson is a great name. I hope she'll be OK!
ReplyDeleteI am sad to read how many hens and roosters that you loose to predators. It seems there is no way of keeping them out of the hen house as I assume they disappear at night?
ReplyDeleteLynn -- It looks like Gibson will be okay as long as she has a clutch of eggs to sit on.
ReplyDeleteTabor -- Some of the stories are repeats which makes our predator losses sound greater than perhaps they are. Most of our murders and/or disappearances take place during daylight hours because our flock free ranges. The adult hens and roosters do a good job of taking care of themselves but the chicks are fairly vulnerable. Predators consist of stray dogs, coyotes, hawks, owls, opossums, snakes, automobiles, etc. Sometimes the chicks must fear their own mothers. We had a hen named Tiger Lily and she would patiently sit for 21 days on her nest and then would kill her young soon after they hatched. If I had not finally caught her in the act I would never have known. We quit letting her sit on eggs after that.
I love all their names too. Is Gibson named after the guitar?
ReplyDeleteI love the name Mr. Gibson II. Who cares about gender boundaries?
ReplyDeleteJoe -- Blog friends gave me the names Mr.Gibson and Chicklet. It is fun to have audience participation:)
ReplyDeleteBonnie -- You are so right about "who cares about gender boundaries". I try not to name my chickens until I'm pretty sure of their gender but I also ended up with a rooster once named Brittany. LOL Welcome back to blogland by the way. Glad you are starting up again.
I always enjoy your stories about your chickens. They really are enlightening!
ReplyDeleteYou could write/illustrate a picture book! I love this story...as well as the pictures and the name Chicklet is CLASSIC!
ReplyDeletePS - I will contact you to help me name my orange kitty (when I find her/him). :)
Kay -- My chickens don't enlighten anyone as much as they do me. I never in my wildest thought I would be raising chickens and naming them and become attached to them like pets.
ReplyDeleteIly -- I've already put my name in for your orange tabby. I still like "Tang". Meanwhile you can't really name a pet until you see it then the right name will be just a fit.
I love hearing about your chickens and roosters, my grandmother had them as well and the times were the best of my memories.
ReplyDeleteDorothy from grammology
grammology.com
Sad sad tales from the farm. But alas, time will restore us to full force and chicken wings for all. Or not.
ReplyDeleteAnd I've always thought of chickens as dumb, dirty ducks without the benefit of webbed feet. Yours are.....family!
ReplyDeleteAnnie, so glad that Mr. Gibson is still alive and kicking...Too bad those predators keep killing you babies....
ReplyDelete