Meet Geno, our Sicilian Buttercup rooster (at least I hope he's a he) chick. We have three lovely Buttercup hens already, and one of them--Georgia--is very attached to me (and vice-versa). Since we name all our roosters with names ending in "o" I decided to name him in memory of my late Italian friend Geno C.
Geno is already challenging the large, presumed Buff Orpington (I didn't order it!) chick nearly double his size.
These chickens are extremely rare. The American Standard of Perfection notes that 100% of the Buttercup stock in North America came from hatching eggs brought here in 1892. Supposedly they are not docile or broody, but I can tell you ours are very handle-able and one of them goes seriously broody (as in attacking your hand if you try to move her). They lay small white eggs.
We do have a Sicilian chef who runs the local Italian restaurant (but his name doesn't in in "o"), and he's the first to tell you the many ways Sicily is different from Italy. (For one, it is an island, and second, they add sugar to their spaghetti sauce.) I think their flag looks sort of Celtic. At least our chickens do not have three legs.
They are sprouting wing and tail feathers. Today they are two weeks old!
3 comments:
One of my bookclub friends does organic gardening and has chickens. I gave her your blogspot. Maybe you could trade ideas.
Judy
wow! what unusual chicks you have! Are you going to enter them in the fair?
I hope you enjoy your Easter Weekend. Love, Dana
Wait 'til you see what they will look like as adults! Unfortunately we don't have fairs in this part of Texas, just stock shows for the 4H. The State Fair is 13 hours away. The closest poultry show is probably in Ohio...people will have to visit our farm to admire them or read the blog!
Enjoy your Easter too!
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