Pet Chickens: To Name or Not to Name? Do You Name Yours?

I have a constant play-joust going on with a fellow chicken friend of mine, whose birds are for eggs and food. I NAME my birds, he insists that his are for food and for perpetuating a rare breed of Spanish birds. All of my birds are very carefully named, a sport I thoroughly enjoy, and, much to his chagrin, I named all his birds that my broody turkey hen hatched out for his breeding programme!

My small flock of Cochin/Serama/Silkie crosses, which I call "The GMT", short for Georgia Mountain Top Chickens, all came pre-named. A very dear friend of mine lost his 47 acres to foreclosure, and I drove down to help him move and brought back a lot of his chickens, turkeys, and some feral cats to place up here. I had to keep the GMT, who were named Boo-boo-roo, Goldie, Cucko, and yes, wait for it, Dorene. How can one not keep a chicken that was named after her?

I must have the world's most patient or bravest neighbours, who endure (among many other things) me wandering around the backyard, calling, "Dorene!  Where are you?  Dorene, it is time to come into bed now!" What must they think? I am afraid to ask.

My first two chickens, black tailed white Japanese Bantams, came into my waterfowl rescue group. I knew nothing about chickens, but knew these guys were going to be teensie, so I named (afraid of "Napolean Complex") the little rooster after my favourite Ottoman Emperor, Sulieman The Magnificent (Sullie for short).  I named the hen, his siter, Roxanne (Roxie for short). Roxanne was Sulieman's favourite hareem wife. When I lost Roxie to Mareks disease, I adopted a full sister of theirs but from another clutch and named her Moxie, hoping that she would be able to beat the disease.

Do any of you readers name your birds? I have a friend with a hen named Google (I think her then 9-year-old son named her) and an Ameraucana named Paris (she is so fancy). I adopted two Sebright hens from Bridgeton AC and named them Ruby Two Shoes and Luna(tic). Luna has since calmed down and is now Luna-Tuna-Fish. She runs with my two Heritage turkeys, Cricket (Royal Palm, named herself making cricket noises as a baby) and Bleu Belle (Spanish Black). Then there is my mutt Silkie from St. Charles AC, Moppit Stoppit. This little hen is constantly complaining and getting herself into trouble, hence her middle name!

Another friend has two little roosters, a Splash Silkie named Flash who thinks that he is a teensie human, and one of my favourite names, Trumpet–her little Mille Fleur. Both these birds were raised in her bathroom and are very human-friendly, and come running to their names when visited, I adore them.

So, fill us in with your birds' names, I bet there are some fun stories out there!

Buk buk buk buk,

Dorene