A Strange Bird.

Blondie as a baby staring at the camera.

I've got to admit, I was kinda annoyed with my new chicks when I first started raising them back in March. As I mentioned before, it was only a week or so before my adult hens were killed by a dog when I brought them home and it was hard accepting them. They were a different breed, seemed sketchier and, I admit, uglier than my previous birds. Well, things progress as they should and we introduced two more chicks a month later. We added them to the coop and they all got to know each other without too much fighting when determining the pecking order.

Blondie (on left) kickin' it with her sister.

Well, lately, one of the chicks has developed quite the personality and is strangely docile and obedient. "Blondie" as we call her is becoming quite the cool chick. I think I love her. When I go out to the yard to get all four back in the pen and the other three scatter wildly, she sits and waits for me to get her to scoop her up. She loves sitting in my arms to look at me. I think she might love me, too. She is mellower than the others and will walk right up to Elias and Duke without a care in the world. She started laying early, too, even though they were miniature eggs. I'm surprised by the bird's behavior and pleasantly happy to see it emerge. Something about her is just different and I like what I see.

Just last night she walked from the backyard, up the stairs straight into the kitchen to see what we all were doing. We picked her up and she happily sat and watched. My son wanted to show her his bedroom, so that we did. He, also, thinks she has gum on her head because the 'cockscomb' or 'comb' isn't quite developed yet and really does resemble chewed, red gum. Maybe we should change her name to "Big Red" - if only she was a Rhode Island Red breed.

So, she's different all right. I've never met a bird quite like her. I'm not sure how the other three will turn out, but at least I have one I can count on, for now.

Growing up.