Monday, December 25, 2017

The Magnificent Hei Hei


Our Hei Hei.... I believe that because of this girl I will always have a cream brabanter in my flock. What do I love about this special lady? Oh gosh... it's everything from her blue feet and polka dotted body, her beard and crest, her call (something, I'd imagine, like the call a bird would make if you crossed a loon with an eagle. Piercing. But unforgettable). She's a funny girl, always poking her beak in to see what's going on, always yelling "CONGRATULATIONS!!!" to anyone who lays an egg. At the top of her little lungs.

Hei Hei is a very fine boned hen, a small large fowl. You can see how petite she is compared to our black Australorp, Raven (a dual purpose hen) and an English Heritage Orpington (Betsy).


Yesterday I got a special treat, courtesy of my spotted lady. While sitting in the grow out pen, I noticed Hei Hei creeping around the goat pen. Well, creeping for a chicken - that mostly means walking carefully without bobbing her head. She paused at the corner, and then RAN as fast as possible, and as stealthily as possible, to an old grow out pen that anchors the corner of a fence. She crept inside, peeping at the forest. I peered into the woods, but saw nothing. Just some trees and a small flock of birds - tiny birds, maybe sparrows or juncos. Hei Hei scooted out of the pen and sidled up to a tree, still focused on the woods. Suddenly she sprang out from behind her tree, sounded a mighty "BACK GWAAAAAK!!!!" and raced out into the middle of the wild birds, trumpeting and ferociously flapping her wings. Needless to say, the birds scattered, scared off by the mighty Hei Hei, who then proceeded to walk around in circles, bawking and flapping. Quill (our  rooster), came racing out, looking for danger, and stood in a confused bundle of hormones and testosterone, ready to defend against..... nothing? Hei Hei proudly strutted over to her man and escorted him back, content with her own magnificence. I love Hei Hei.

Yes, I know I had this photo in the last post. But I just love that they eat together still!


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