Yes. You read that right. This particular chicken deserves recognition.
The year was 2014. The place was Gap Mills, WV. My sister and her husband were living with my parents and wanted to have some good farm-fresh eggs. So they acquired chickens. Then they moved back to Texas, leaving the chickens behind.
The year was 2015. The place was Augusta, WV. Another sister and her husband wanted farm-fresh eggs. They moved said chickens to their property. When they later purchased 100 chickens they sent the small flock to us.
On our little farm, chickens disappear. By night, with feather trails down to the woods. By day, with no trace left. And, by night, with carcasses left on the ground in the cage; heart eaten out. What gets the domestic birds? Oh, for a trail camera!
This small flock disappeared one by one, two by two, three by three....you get the picture. They disappeared. Except for this one. She survived an attack with only a patch of feathers off her back. After this she kept herself alive.
Since that day we have gotten a dozen chickens who again disappeared, one by one, two by two, etc. They all left; but this one remained. She knew how to stay alive.
Last summer we got guinea keats- three of them. The day we let them out of their cage two went missing overnight. The third one was found in the woods in a terrible state of fear. He was shepherded back to his cage where he cowered in fear for awhile. He finally ventured out and he now knows how to keep himself alive.
Now we had two wise birds. We thought we should name them. The chicken especially had such a personality. She literally ruled the roost! Once she and the dog got in a fight over a ham bone and she nearly lost her life. She recovered and was a bit more dog wise.
But the dog and the cats knew their boundaries-- and those were---- not too close to the chicken. Recently Grandma Lapp brought the dog a pet bed. The chicken soon claimed it for her own. Ever see a chicken in a pet bed? Pampered bird!
I asked the boys what woman's name comes to their mind when I say words like "bossy, controlling, cantankerous, do-as-I-say, etc". Austin immediately replied, "Miranda". (Think Anne of Green Gables) We never did give the birds names. We thought of Henry & Henrietta.
Christopher enjoyed having the chicken sit on his arm while he stroked her and talked to her. He liked to introduce her to people.
The end of the story? This past week, the chicken became ill. She lasted about two days and succumbed. We didn't know how to help her or what was wrong. The younger boys claimed it was old age but old age doesn't kill one that quickly. I think she ate the wrong thing. Poor bird.
We miss her. RIP
