Meet Our Girls

We are big fans of the BBC program, Dr. Who, so...

while our coop is not painted tardis-blue, 

our hens are named after some of the famous women of Dr. Who.

Our hens were purchased at three months of age from Stacks Chicken Farm, near Gettysburg, PA.  We purchased all brown egg layers.

A special shout out to BackYardChickens.com -- we have found their site to be very helpful and have borrowed from their descriptions to add some history to the breeds of our birds.

Donna, an Australorp, pictured at 3 months

Meet "Donna" - Donna was our largest hen when we first got them.  She has used her size to act the most motherly over the others.  When she needs to express her dominance those beautiful neck feathers fan straight out as she extends her neck straight up.

Donna is an Australorp. They are an exceptionally beautiful bird, quite big, with black glossy feathers that have a green sheen and huge black soulful eyes. The Australorp Breed was developed in Australia at the end of the nineteenth century with Black Orpington stock from England. The purpose of the breed was as a “utility” chicken for both high egg production and meat.  

Martha, a Barred Rock, pictured at 3 months

Meet "Martha" - Martha is easily distinguished by her zebra-coloring.  She is not aggressive, but can be bossy with the other birds.  The one time that Martha got out of the pen when it was not planned, she ran all around the yard and the pen wanting to get back in.  She has been the most difficult to catch.  

Martha is a Barred Rock, a variety of Plymouth Rock, which originated in the United States.  Barred Rocks are quite mellow and adapt quickly to situations, are curious and friendly, and will inquisitively watch you as you move around. Barred Rock hens cluck, coo, gurgle, chirp, and make other vocal sounds, but they generally do so quietly.

Amelia, a Cherry Egger, pictured at 4 months

Meet "Amelia" - Amelia has been one of the most friendly of our birds.  She is often the first one at the door...and absolutely loves devouring stink bugs and crickets.  She was our first "ginger" (redhead).

Amelia is a Cherry Egger, a cross breed between a New Hampshire Red and a Rhode Island Red.  They are well known for their laying ability and hardiness.  

"Amelia's look reminds me of the velociraptors in Jurassic Park." ~ Cindy

Rose/Rory, a Buff Orpington, pictured at 4 months

Meet "Rose" (a.k.a. "Rory") - This bird at 3-months-old looked like our other hens. But given a month and we began to wonder if "she" was a "he."  As it turns out, of our first batch of birds, our Buff Orpington was a rooster.  We were sad to see him go, but we really could not have a rooster in our coop.  He was such a pretty bird. (You'll see him in early posting and videos.)

The original Orpington, a Black Orpington, was developed by William Cook, from the village of Orpington, County of Kent, England in the 1880s. To develop the Orpington, Cook crossed Black Minorcas with Black Plymouth Rocks, then crossed the resultant bird with clean-legged Langshans. The Buff Orpington was later developed through other crosses. 

Rosie, a Cherry Egger, about 3-months-old in picture

Meet "Rosie" - Rosie was our replacement hen for our original Rose.  They did not have another Buff Orpington hen the same age as our birds, so we went with another "ginge" and productive egg layer.  She has been very gentle to hold.  Interestingly enough, even though the same breed, Amelia has been the one to fuss at her the most.  We'll see how these "sisters" get along.

Clara, Cinnamon Queen, age unknown

Meet "Clara" - Clara came to us as a rescue.  Read the incredible story.  We do not know how old she is or where she came from.  In doing a bit of research, we are pretty sure that she is a Cinnamon Queen. 

If you cross a Silver Laced Wyandotte Hen with a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire Rooster the chicks will be Cinnamon Queens. The hens will be brownish red and the roosters white. Cinnamon Queens are a cross breed - a mutt - if you breed one to another they will not produce an off spring like the parents. They are bred so that upon hatch the sex can be identified by sight relating to the coloring of the down. They can pick out and sell the females easier.