Late last December, I was perusing a local Facebook page for poultry folks. I look around frequently, but understand that my heritage poultry preference and soy-free, corn-free organic feed standards are not those of the typical backyard poultry enthusiast, so I am rather selective about what I post on, preferring to not get into debates where I am glad to agree to disagree. Still, there are so many places where we agree, and where we are able to support one another. Then one caught my eye.
There was a woman from my town who had a very small mixed flock, including a few bantams. The bantams were living separately from the standard hens, as they had been pushed around by the larger hens, and then of the bantams, one had begun to pick on the other. One little Sebright was being bullied, and then her companion bantam had passed away. Long story short, the Sebright was now very sad. Flock animals are meant to have friends!
As the little Sebright's owner was looking for advice for finding a suitable friend for her, I considered our own situation...
As breeders, we often have a wide variety of birds and ages in the grow out bantam or grow out standard pens. One of the little ones from this past year's bantam Cochin hatch had a cross beak. Not a true scissor beak, but her head and beak weren't truly in correct alignment. This just happens sometimes, even though our poultry are bred to the Standard of Perfection, and many of the offspring do quite well at shows. I will never know if something went wrong in the egg, putting it in the incubator, or what really happened. Still, with the issue, the little one had not gotten along with the other bantam Cochins, and had moved over with the Silkies for some time. There were also a few other mismatched ones growing out in the group, but as they were growing and the Silkies and others gradually were moving out to their long term homes, we found ourselves debating the future of the little hen.
She would be fine for breeding, that isn't something she will pass on with young, and she is clearly healthy and eating and drinking and getting around just fine. She was due to begin laying once the light increased again. Yet, we are not only a little pressed for space in the Silkie pen, but also collect eggs there for hatching, and don't wish to have cross-bred bantam birds. The children and I had been debating the best place for her, and she deserves a happy life. So what to do?
I commented on the post that I had a little pullet who was not perfect, but was thriving, and who didn't seem to be finding her place here. A little bit later, I found a message from a sweet person named Jade, who surprisingly lived only about ten miles or so from me. We offered that perhaps due to the fact that the little pullet was different, she hadn't found her place yet in our home, and if Jade thought she would like to try, she was welcome to have her as a friend for her little Sebright. I stressed that she could not be shown, and her beak was not right. Jade thought it could be a good fit, as their chickens are pets, not show birds.
I was so excited that Jade and her husband were coming to get her the next day! Bailey gave the little one a bath to get ready, and she sat in the living room with her by the heater, with farm puppy Shadow watching over them as she dried. Within a few days, Jade sent me the photo above, of the lonely little one with the pullet they had brought home. She told me that initially that pullet from our place had definitely been in charge, but they were becoming friends and exploring together.
Then later, another message saying they were getting to be good friends! This is where the two sleep at night. I feel so tremendously blessed that Jade has let me know that this has been such a great move, and so blessed that the little pullet has found the place where she always belonged, we just had to give her the chance to grow and thrive and to reach out and help her find it. What a great chance for her to have a flock family! They are nestled so sweetly in this photo.
Then, earlier this week, there was another message... she laid her first egg! For any of you who also own chickens, you know the excitement of the first egg, and of the feeling like it is all working out. Honestly, I had the feeling that it would work out as soon as I had met Jade. And Bailey was glad that a little one from her breeding program would have a great place to be. Wyatt was not only thrilled to not have to figure out how to manage the egg situation in his Silkie breeding pen, but he got a little spoiled as well when Jade brought him lemons! (Many thanks, he feels he has now perfected lemonade!)
I reached out to Jade, and asked whether she felt okay about me sharing this story. I feel like it is important to see that the backyard pet chicken person and the egg and meat producing (and showing and breeding) folks can work together to enable a truly organic and humane industry on the producer side and great family flock on the backyard pet poultry side.
The little bantam Cochin pullet and her new family sent us this video to share as well. Thanks so much! I think you all likely can also see that she continues to eat just fine!
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