MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

Hello good people of BYC

After months and months of telling my chicken stories on other people's pages, I've decided to make my own.

I'm a very inexperienced chicken keeper so I need all the help I can get! Your chat and advice will be much appreciated.

 

[MaryJanet]

Mary

Mary is a black Australorp. She is the prettiest of my three chickens with iridescent black plumage and big black eyes that go blink-blink in a very charming way.

Favourite hobby: drinking. Mary is a waterholic.

Favourite saying: wohr-wohr

Rank: formerly Lieutenant, now Captain. Captain's rank was obtained by strategically using her weight, agility and determination to obtain the top spot on the roost from the disgraced former Captain, Janet.

Named after: Mary is named after Mary Kopscanyi. Mary Kopscanyi was my Nana's great-niece. Mary showed me kindness and love from the day I was born until the day she died. Her house is across the street from my house (both houses were built at the same time by the same person - my great-great uncle) but it is now owned by a lovely young family of four. Mary's house was built for her grandmother, Sarah, who was my grandmother's oldest sister. Tragically, Mary's mother died young, so Sarah provided Mary with a loving home and family life. Mary passed away quite suddenly in 2016, although she was well into her 80s. Her husband, Frank, died in 2017. They are both survived by their daughter Elizabeth who I don't call often enough. I'll call her today. Mary the chicken helps me keep Mary Kopscanyi's memory alive.

For background, here are the other profiles.

• Janet
• Sandy
• Ivy
• Peggy
• And Blossom

 

[MaryJanet]

Janet

Janet is a gold-laced "Barnevelder" - I use quotes because her legs aren't yellow and her eggs aren't brown. I'm pretty sure she's not a real Barnevelder, but that makes no difference to me. I bought her for $50 dollars as a pullet from a 12 year old chicken farmer it seemed like a lot to pay for a pullet, but I was delighted to support a youngster in his chickening. She was the first chicken to live in the new fox-proof coop. She moved in on Saturday October 20, 2018 and laid her first egg on Sunday October 21.

Favourite hobby: digging.

Second-favourite hobby: dust-bathing.

Favourite saying: peep-peep

Rank: Lieutenant (disgraced former Captain). Fought bravely and tenaciously to retain the top spot on the roost until one day Mary pushed her in just the right way and she fell off into the pine shavings below. Has not yet recovered from the embarrasment.

Named after: Janet is named after Mum. We lost our mum in 2000 from breast cancer. She was a complicated person, but we loved her. I don't have to tell anyone how special the relationship is between mother and children. You already know the story because it's just like your's: sometimes hard, mostly (mysteriously) lovely.

For background, here are the other profiles.

• Mary
• Sandy
• Ivy
• Peggy
• And Blossom

 

[MaryJanet]

[Ummm ... maybe Sandy's profile needs a trigger warning - it gets a bit poignant when I describe who she's named after]

Sandy

Sandy is a red hybrid layer. She was found loitering on the streets and placed into my care when her humans could not be located. Technically, she's a foster-chicken but I don't expect anyone to take her away. She moved in with us on Sunday April 13 2019 and, like a trooper, provided her first egg on Tuesday April 15.

Favourite hobby: daydreaming.

Favourite saying: rrrr-rrrr (very softly, while laying)

Rank: civilian passenger generally getting underfoot on the ship. Gets told off every day.

Named after: Sandy is named after Aunty Sandy who tragically took her own life when she could no longer fight to make sense of the cruelties of her childhood. Her husband was mum's brother. This all happened a long time ago - in 1992 if I recall correctly. She left two young daughters, Rachel and Laura. Rachel and I are great friends and I have almost persuaded her to get her own chicken flock. Laura was very young when her mum died and needed to break with the family in order to spread her wings. I trust that she is healthy and happy and living her best life. Sandy the chicken, just like Mary, helps me keep Aunty Sandy's memory alive (I don't need help keeping mum's memory alive).

For background, here are the other profiles.

• Mary
• Janet
• Ivy
• Peggy
• And Blossom

Vale Sandy

March 16 2020.

You were a delightful character and I'm grateful for all the times we drove in the car together, to and from the vet. I'm grateful for the time we stopped at the beach and you gazed at the sea. And for your delicious eggs. You were great at schooling the pullets and relaxing in the sunshine. You brought a lot of joy to your flock and they miss you.

 

[MaryJanet]

Blossom

Blossom is an honorary chicken, really a cat. She spent most of her life on the streets, then lived in a shed for two years, then inside a house for one year, then I adopted her. She is now 10 years old and has lived with us since May 20 2019.

Favourite hobby: sitting on the living room window-sill and watching the world go by.

Favourite saying: MMm!

Rank: shows disdain for all formal hierarchies, what are we - fiercely independent or cogs in the machine, man?!?

Named after: Blossom already had her name when she came to live with us. It suits her. I doubt she was named after a particular blossom. I've never seen a blossom her colour.

For background, here are the other profiles.

• Mary
• Janet
• Sandy
• Ivy
• And Peggy

 

[MaryJanet]

Dear chicken friends, @Ribh, @Kris5902, @Grammy60, @rjohns39, @BY Bob, @drumstick diva, and @Ali James please follow along and share your wisdom

Blimey!!! How did I forget @WhoDatChick??? I'm so sorry Whodat.

Eeek! And @CrazyChookChookLady I'm making myself sad forgetting folks

And @Aussie-Chookmum That's me crying with frustration and disappointment from forgetting you.

 

[Grammy60]

I love this idea we have had chickens since moving to TN, but I know there is so much more to learn from all the lovely people I am just getting to know. We are still in the early stages of learning what's right and wrong ( me more than Bob of course) .

 

[Ribh]

Hello good people of BYC

After months and months of telling my chicken stories on other people's pages, I've decided to make my own.

I'm a very inexperienced chicken keeper so I need all the help I can get! Your chat and advice will be much appreciated.

You did it!!!

 

[Ribh]

I'm an Australorp fan! They are so very pretty! And they know how to get what they want.

 

[Grammy60]

Mary

Mary is a black Australorp. She is the prettiest of my three chickens with iridescent black plumage and big black eyes that go blink-blink in a very charming way.

Favourite hobby: drinking. Mary is a waterholic.

Rank: formerly Lieutenant, now Captain. Captain's rank was obtained by strategically using her weight, agility and determination to obtain the top spot on the roost from the disgraced former Captain, Janet.

View attachment 1922925

She is so pretty